A World Beyond My Own
by Deiru Tamashi
Summary: I was just living a normal life when I was pulled from it into another world entirely. Now i have to live in this new world, a world called Spira. Rated T just in case. Please read and review! WARNING: Due to a system problem with my computer updates will temporarily occur on weekends.
1. Chapter 1

**A World Beyond My Own**

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their owners.

Heads up: The story won't pertain much to FFX in the beginning, but eventually you'll see the similarities, and there will be more interactions with the actual characters starting next chapter.

xxx

Ch. 1 Pulled from my World

I jumped off the last step of the bus, waved goodbye to the bus driver, and began walking home. My name is Sofia Ostrovsky. I'm a young woman of seventeen, and I look like this. I have long pitch-black hair that reaches my waist, deep purple-blue eyes, and fair skin. I was wearing a black T-shirt over a black leather jacket, with black boots and a pair of dark blue jeans.

I reached my house, but rather than head inside, I turned to head inside my garage. Inside was my car, a red 2006 Ford Focus. It wasn't the most extravagant car available, but it was nicely priced and pretty fuel-efficient. I took my keys from there hiding place behind a box with a Christmas tree in it, put my backpack in the passenger seat, buckled myself in, and drove back out my garage. For the last ten years I had been living here, in San Francisco, ever since my dad disappeared and I had to live on my own. Until I was sixteen I had lived in an orphanage, but then I left and began to work for myself. Normally after school I would have to drive straight to my job as accountant, but today was one of my rare days off.

I drove through the city to Chinatown, intent on visiting a teacher I had. There was an odd hobby of mine that I picked up; sword fighting. I was now pretty good at it, but in the beginning I had no clue on how to even hold a sword. There weren't a lot of people that knew either, but luckily I found a guy by the name of Deiru Tamashi that had agreed to help me.

Deiru ran a dojo in Chinatown, where he taught martial arts and, to the few interested, sword fighting. He was a good teacher, and told me that if I was ever up for additional lessons I was free to stop by. So, here I was. I parked my car in the lot outside his dojo, unbuckled my seat belt and went inside. The minute I walked inside I could hear kids shouting, some little and some older than me, yelling and fighting. Deiru must be having a test day. I walked around the corner and I took at good look at the Tamashi Dojo.

One wall was covered in mirrors, making the room look twice as large for a few seconds. Another was made of windows, through which sunlight streamed in the room. The other two walls were made of polished dark wood, and the floor was lighter shade, but right now it was mainly covered with black and white mats. On each one were two students, boys _and_ girls, going at it. Off to the side stood Deiru, looking closing at each group.

Deiru was a guy that could be anywhere from twenty to forty, but he never told anyone how old he was. His hair was as dark as mine, but short and rather spiky, while his left eye was as blue as a sapphire. The other was covered by a black eye patch, with a small scar running across. At that moment he was wearing a white martial arts outfit, with a black belt around his waist and a clipboard at his side. Occasionally he would walk to watch a specific pair fight, and then he would right something on his clipboard before walking off.

Yep, definitely a test day.

I was content to stand there and watch the other students go at it. I had to admit, Deiru taught his students well. Eventually he noticed me standing there, and walked over. He smiled. "Sofia, it's good to see you. What are you doing here? I would imagine you would be at your job." I smiled and shook my head. "No, today was my day off. I was wondering if I could receive a few extra lessons," I replied.

He frowned. "Well, as you can see, my students are in the middle of a testing session. However, I would be more than happy to help you afterward. Feel free to watch." I nodded, and sat down in a chair that was sitting on the side. For a while I watched two kids, a black boy and a Chinese girl, fight each other. The boy swung a punch, but the girl dodged it and swung for a judo chop to his side. He ducked and jabbed at her stomach with four fingers, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

The boy took the opportunity to give her a vicious spinning kick to the head, and she fell to the ground, unconscious. The boy walked forward to give the finishing blow, and I was about to say for him to hold on, but then the girls eyes snapped wide open. She swung her leg and kicked the side of his right knee, and the boy's eyes bulged in pain and surprise. He grabbed his knee, and in less than a few seconds the girl had him on the ground and in a headlock.

The boy flailed his arms around, trying to escape, but the girl tightened her lock on his head. Eventually, he stopped, and with a very annoyed expression said "I surrender." The girl smirked and let him go. Deiru walked over and said to the girl "Well done Christina." he looked at the boy who was getting up and added "You worked hard as well James; I'm impressed. You can both go back to the locker and change now." The boy James still looked annoyed, but he bowed respectfully and went to the door the men's lockers, while the girl Christina did the same and went to girls' lockers.

He turned to look at me and said "That went well, don't you think?" I nodded in agreement. Deiru smiled, but then turned to face the class. "Everyone, stop!" he ordered. They did, and they all stood to look at him. "Testing time is now over. Your individual scores are on the table by the refreshments, and you all may get one glass of water from the filter. After that, go change back into your regular cloths, and that concludes today's session. Understood?" He asked. "Yes sir!" they all called, before heading to the water filter and grabbing their score papers and drinks.

I waited for the next half hour next to Deiru, but afterward all the students had changed, their parents had arrived, and they had been picked up. I looked at Deiru. "Are we able to start the lesson now?" He nodded, and led me to a door on the side of the fighting room. We walked through it, and I found myself in another dojo room, similar to the first one, only smaller, and all the walls were wood with the mats being black.

On one wall were three racks of wooden swords, of different types, sizes, and weights. This was the room Deiru used for sword fighting sessions; the main room was for martial arts classes. I hung my jacket on a hook and walked to the racks to pick up an average-sized wooden samurai sword, while Deiru chose a huge wooden broadsword. We walked to the middle of the room and we each took up a fighting stance. "Are you ready?" Deiru asked. I nodded. "Then... begin!"

I shot forward, swinging my sword in a deadly arc, but Deiru blocked it easily and the sound of smacking wood rang through the air. Deiru smiled. "Your strikes are becoming stronger. That's good to see." His smile vanished. "But don't think that will make me go easy on you." He shoved forward, and I had to jump back. He charged and brought his broadsword down in a overhead blow. I blocked it, but the force of the attack rippled through my arms. Deiru was strong.

He pressed down harder, and I took the opportunity to kick at his left leg. He jumped back to dodge, but he jabbed at me and I had to take a step back. Deiru continued after me, swinging left and right, and it was all I could do to keep blocking. My teacher wasn't giving me any room today. I frowned, and kept staying on the defensive, trying to go over any ways to get the upper hand.

Deiru was definitely stronger and faster than me, but his weapon of choice was a broadsword, which was heavier and slower than my samurai sword. Also, his sword was meant to fight enemies at a moderate distance, and would have trouble if the enemy was fighting up close. Maybe I could use that against him. Deiru swung his sword sideways and I ducked, and then shot forward with my sword coming in from the side.

His eye widened, and he blocked me with the cross guard of his sword. I kept on him, not giving him a chance to back up and gain the distance he needed. He frowned and tried to push back, but with the lack of reach all that did was create an opening for me, and I jabbed the wooden end of my sword into his stomach. His breath came out in wheeze, and I kicked the sword out of his hands.

He looked at it in astonishment, and then at me when I rested the point of my wooden sword against his throat. We stared at each other for a moment, both of us breathing heavily, until I lowered it and Deiru smiled. "Very impressive Sofia; this would make the second time you have ever beaten me." I smiled. "I learned from a good teacher."

He nodded his thanks, and we both put our swords back on the racks. "So, same time next week?" I asked. He nodded and said "I look forward to settling the score. Have a good week Sofia." I bowed. "Goodbye Deiru." I put my jacket back on and walked outside to get back in my car and drive home. On the way home a few drops of water hit my windshield, and I thought "_Looks like it's going to rain soon. I like the rain_."

I arrived home, parked my car in the garage and put the keys in the hiding place before I unlocked my door and went inside. I preferred living a simple life, and the way I decorated my house reflected that. The floor was made of tiled linoleum that was made to look like a chess board. A couch and chair were in front of a TV with a DVD Player and a PS2, and the walls were a simple white color, but a good portion was devoted to pictures of seen from nature. Large waterfalls and rivers, mountain valleys, forests that were filled with mist.

A favorite of mine was placed over a large fish tank of mine, and it was by far the largest picture of them all. Huge waterfalls fell in a near oval around a huge valley that was filled with fields of flower. They sky was a cloudy orange, except for a black cloud that hung around an egg blue sun. Huge fireflies flew through the whole picture, and the moment I saw it I fell in love with the picture. Only the guy I bought it from called them "pyreflies" and the picture was of a place called the "Farplane". Whatever that was.

Deciding to take a long, nice shower and get a change of clothes, I hung my jacket on a coat rack and when to the bathroom, already savoring the warm water on my skin. An hour later a walked out of my bedroom, now wearing a pair of black pajama pants and a white tank top. My hair was still slightly damp from the shower, and I walked to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. I kept it simple and just boiled some pasta and mixed it with butter and garlic salt. One of the best things I've ever eaten.

While enjoying the simple yet delicious dinner of mine, I sat down in front of the TV and turned it on. A football game was playing, the Denver Broncos vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Deciding to watch, I ate my food while watching the game. The Ravens whooped the Broncos butts, and by the time the game was over I was getting tired. Deciding to go to bed, I went to my bedroom and lay down in my bed. I closed my eyes, getting to drift off into peaceful slumber and-

_BOOM!_

My eyes snapped open, and immediately the sounds of people screaming could be heard. What in the world was going on? Quickly I changed back into my regular clothes, and I walked outside. The sight stunned me. A large number of people were running around screaming, and some of the houses were piles of rubble. Ground beneath me rumbled. Earthquake?

All of the people were running around screaming, except for one person, who was leaning against a street light pole. It was Deiru. I ran up to him. "Deiru!" I called. He stood up and looked at me. His clothes were different. He was wearing a black leather trench coat that reached his ankles, a white T-shirt with a pair of black pants, boots, and fingerless gloves. Most noticeable however, was the huge sword on his back. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Waiting for you. Come with me," he said, before walking off.

I looked at him in confusion. "What's going on?" I asked, but he didn't answer me. I followed after him, but as I did I saw that everyone else was running in the opposite direction, _away_ from the shore. "Hey, shouldn't we be going the other way?" I ask Deiru. He stops, but then points to the sky and says "Look there!" I did, and I took a step back in astonishment. Floating in the sky was a huge orb of water, larger than a cathedral.

"It's known as 'Sin'," Deiru explained. I looked at him. "Sin?" I asked. He nodded, and from that orb shot a huge scaled tentacle that crashed into the side of a building. The scales flew off the tentacle in hundreds, and dozens of them landed in front of us. Three of them shook, and then they opened to turn into monsters. They were insect-like in appearance, and each of them had a set of wings and sharp teeth.

They surrounded me, and I punched and kicked them away, but ended up falling on my butt. Deiru walked up to my side and pulled his sword on his back. The blade was six feet long and a foot wide, with a crescent moon on its hilt and the handle was wrapped in blue and silver cloth, with symbols engraved on the blade. He handed me a sword. It had blade that was silver, four feet long and two inches wide, while the handle was wrapped in a cloth that was purple.

I got up and took the blade from Deiru. "A gift from Alexander," Deiru said. I looked at him and asked "My father?" The monsters started closing in on me, and I swung the sword, driving them back. "I hope the training I gave you will pay off." I nodded, and charged forward. I swung the sword at it, and it fell instantly. Instead of blood however, the monster disintegrated into lights that rose into the air before disappearing.

Not pausing to wonder at it, I ran forward, and the other two stopped me. "These ones don't matter. Just cut through them!" Deiru called. I nodded, and ran forward. I cut through one, and the other tried to hit me with its wings, but Deiru blocked it and cut that one down as well. We ran forward, but then dozens of the scales landed in front of me, along with the same number to my rear,

Three of them uncovered themselves in front of me, with two behind me. "Don't bother trying to kill them all. Get rid of the ones in the front and run!" Deiru told me. Nodding, I jumped forward and killed one, but the wings on another started glowing. Deiru killed a third, but that one shot a cluster of spines at me. I held my arm up to defend myself, but the spines pierced my arm. I could feel blood run down the side of my arm, but then Deiru tossed me a vial of green liquid.

I downed it quickly, and the hole in my arm closed up, healed completely. I glared at the monster that had shot the spines and stabbed my sword straight in the monsters face. It fell without a sound, turning into those lights. With those three down, I and Deiru kept running. We ran until we reached the Golden Gate Bridge, but then bridge trembled because of some impact. We looked at each, and then ran forward.

On the bridge was the same tentacle like monster I had seen before, with a t least six of the little monsters around it. Now I was getting irritated. "Get out of my home!" I yelled. Deiru called "They almost _want _to die. Use your signature move Sofia!" I looked at him and nodded. I ran forward, and jumped up, spinning around in a circle and turning my sword into a deadly circle of steel. I hit the tentacle monster, and I made at least five gashes in its skin, dealing a lot of damage in the process. My ultimate move, Whirlwind Blade.

Then Deiru's sword glowed silver and he sun his sword around in his hand over his head. Gold energy trailed from the edges of it. He spun it faster and faster, until he stopped and threw it at the monsters. It stuck in the ground in the middle of them, and exploded in a blast of light and heat. When it cleared his sword was the same as ever, but none of the little monsters remained. I looked at him in astonishment. He smiled. "_My _ultimate attack. Blasting Sun," he said.

Then the tentacle monster waved its tendrils, and a wave of energy exploded in the air above us, hitting us both. Deiru grimaced, and I was about to toss him a vial of green liquid when he shook his head. "No, the monster is using the spell Demi. The weaker we are, the less damage the spell will do." I looked at him, uncertain, but nodded and attacked the monster. For the next few minutes we kept on the monster as it kept casting that Demi spell, and Deiru was right; as we got weaker, so did that spell.

I slashed at it one last time, and suddenly the monster began to flail around and turn black. Lights poured out of it, and it stopped moving. We ran past it, but while we did I was thinking. Monsters, spells? Was this a dream, or was some fantasy actually coming to life? Then I was ripped out of my thoughts when I saw hundreds of scales land in front as well as behind us. Left without any way to escape, I began attacking them.

The minute I killed one however, the other six closed in and began attacking me. I held them off, but they hit me pretty hard before do the same to Deiru. He looked at me with his eye and said "This may not be good." He looked around us, until he saw a smoking car on its side by the edge of the bridge. "That! Knock it over!" he called. "Are you crazy?" I asked. He smiled. "Probably. But trust me!"

I decided to, and began hurling myself against the car. While I did, Deiru stood behind me and tried to hold off the monsters as best he could. But whenever I saw him cut one down, another immediately appeared. He looked at me, sweat on his brow. "Hurry it up!" he said. "I'm trying!" I replied. I shoved my side into the car, and it gave way a little. Sensing my chance, I shoved it again harder. It wobbled from side to side, and just as it leaned away from me I shoved on it with all my might.

The car fell over the edge, and hit a ship of coal and gasoline directly below. The fire from the engine hit the coal, the coal hit the gasoline, and the explosion was enormous. I jumped back as the shipped literally shot out of the water like a cork and had enough force to hit the bottom of the bridge and go through. All the monsters were burnt to ashes or knocked into the water below.

The boat began to slide out of the hole it had made, and Deiru called "Go!" I did, and I jumped onto the side of the bridge and ran. It continued sliding out, and as it did the other end of the bridge got closer and closer. The boat completely fell out, and I had to jump the last few feet. I managed to grab the edge by the tips of my fingers, but I could barely hang on.

Somehow, Deiru had made it ahead of me and was standing over me. "Deiru! Help me up!" I called. He stood there for a second, and I called "Come on!" he bridge shuddered, and then the end I was hanging from began to rise into the air. Deiru looked up at the sphere of water above us. "Are you certain?" he asked it. I pulled myself up, my arms straining, and I managed to get on the edge. Deiru reached down and picked me up by the front of my shirt. "This is it," he said.

I tried to remove his hand, but his grip was as hard as iron. "This is your journey," he continued. The bridge was almost within the sphere, and I could barely see because of the light. "It all starts here," Deiru declared. Then he was engulfed in the light. I could barely see, but I managed a single scream before the light enveloped me too.

xxx

Well, to the few of you who read this, thank you, and come next chapter the story will get much better!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantast X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners. If I did own it, I would order an HD remake for XBOX 360 and PS3.

Ch.2 Meeting

I was floating through empty space, wondering what in the world was happening. I had just been living a normal life, until something called "Sin" showed up and took me away from my home, destroying it in the process. I kept thinking "What was going on? What had I gotten myself into? Why did Deiru say those things and disappeared into the light with me?" these thoughts ran over and over in my head, until I began to feel light-headed, and my eyelids started dropping.

I tried to fight it, but it was too strong to fight against, and I fell asleep. I had a dream. I was lying on a piece of floating rubble, in a foreign world, all alone. I tried to move, to find someone in this strange place, but I couldn't move. I heard a voice call "Anybody there? Auron! Heeey!" I tried to respond, but I was too tired, and the dream turned black. There was a flash of light, and my eyes snapped open, to find myself on the same piece of floating rubble that I had seen myself on.

Okay, maybe it wasn't a dream.

I slowly picked myself up, to see that I was surrounded by ruins half-submerged in water, while there were darks clouds overhead and an old temple in the distance. I wondered where I was, until the edge of my sleeve came into view and I saw I had a new set of clothes. I was wearing a pure black coat, but it was open over my chest and legs, to show I was wearing a solid white T-shirt with black pants and black dress shoes, while on my hands were black fingerless gloves and underneath my coat the sword Deiru had given me was in a silver sheath.

Not bothering to wonder where the new clothes had come from, I looked around to see if there was anywhere I could go. Not seeing any place other than the temple, I slowly lowered myself into the water and began to swim that way. The water was cold, but not freezing, and waded my way over to the path along the temple, and walked along it. As I was walking I noticed someone was ahead of me, and my hand slowly drifted to my sword, I had decided to call it Selini.

I quickened my pace and slowly approached the stranger, but as I got closer the path we were on shuddered, and the path beneath the stranger collapsed, sending him into the water below. My eyes widened and I ran to look over the edge to see that the guy, whoever it was, was fine and swimming around in the water below. I got up and walked away, jumping over the gap in the pathway and making my way to the front door of the temple.

What was left of the door was in ruin, and near the bottom a small couch-sized hole was blocked by rubble. I kneeled down and began to clear the debris away, and eventually I moved enough stuff away to crawl through. When I did I stood up to see that I was in the middle off what once must have been a great temple hall.

Out of the windows rushed in cold air and rain, and around the edges were statues with vases of dead flowers. Rubble covered every inch of the edges of the area, and off to the side were three large doors. I rubbed my hands over my arms and shivered; the cold was starting to get to me. I looked around for some source of heat, and I saw hat in the center of the room were the remains of a campfire. Perfect! All I had to do was find some flint and tinder, and I could make a fire that was brand new.

With this in mind, I searched around the room for a few minutes, only for my search to end in failure. There was no flint around here, and all the flowers were too wet to serve as tinder. So, I looked over at one of the doors and decided to see if there was anything in there. I walked over to it and pushed it open. Inside was a small room, mostly filled with rubble, with a single window and a broken desk. I walked in and pulled open one of the desk's drawers.

Sure enough, inside the drawer were two rocks, ones that would be perfect for flint. Smiling, I bent over to grab them when I heard a voice behind me saying "Who are you?" Faster than I thought possible, I spun around, drawing Selini from its sheath and placing it right against the throat of whoever was behind me.

It was a boy, about seventeen, while disheveled blond hair and sea blue eyes. His skin was tanned like a swimmer or some other athlete's, and he wore a yellow short-sleeved jacket without a shirt. The left sleeve was blue and his left forearm was covered in a guard and he wore gloves on both hands. He had on a silver pendant with matching earrings, and on his legs was a pair of black shorts, one leg longer than the other, and on it was the same symbol as hid pendant. He wore yellow and black shoes, and when I pressed my sword against his throat he yelped in surprise.

"Take it easy! I'm not going to hurt you!" he exclaimed. I eyed him warily, and didn't remove my sword. "Who are you?" I asked. "Why are you here?" He gulped, or at least as much as he could in his position, and said "My name's Tidus, and as to why I'm here… I don't really know the answer to that. Now I could you please move that sword of yours?!" he asked. I nodded and said "Sure," before lowering it to point between his legs.

"Now why don't you not give me any bull, and say why you're really here," I told him. He looked at me, faintly annoyed, and said "I'm telling the truth. I woke up not too far from here, and I had barely escaped being eaten by some monster." I continued to look at him, and then it hit me. "Were you the one calling for an 'Auron' earlier?" He nodded. Sighing, I pulled my sword back and placed it in its sheath.

"Sorry, but I've never been careful with strangers," I explained. He sighed in relief and took a step back. "It's okay, I just wish I had some flint, that way I could start a fire." My eyes widened, and I asked "Do you have any tinder?" He nodded, and pulled a bouquet of flowers from his pocket, and they were all dry. I held up the flint I had found and he smiled. "Hey, let's share the stuff we have and we can make a fire for the both of us!"

I nodded, and said "Alright, let's do that. By the way Tidus, my name's Sofia." He nodded. "Okay Sofia, let's get that fire going." We both walked out into the foyer of the ruins, and as Tidus knelt down and began using the flint to create sparks; I sat down and crossed my legs with my sword on lap. In a matter of seconds the fire started roaring, and I scooted closer to get some warmth. "Thanks," I told him.

He nodded, and lay back on the ground. We both sat there for a while, until Tidus said "I need food!" I looked at him and said "Why don't you back outside and hunt for fish?" However, it looks like the second he said that he fell asleep. Shaking my head in disbelief, I lay back too and closed my eyes to catch some shut-eye.

xxx

I don't know how long I slept, but eventually I woke up and the first thing I noticed was the lack of warmth. I sat up to look at the fire and saw that it was just short of dying. Tidus slowly woke up, and when he did I told him "The fire's dying." He woke up instantly, and looked at the fire to see that I was right. He crawled over to it to get a good look at the last of the flame.

"Hey, wait! Don't go out on me! Just hold on! I'll get more wood," he said, before standing up. I shook my head, wondering where he would find that would, when I felt a pair of eyes on my back. Slowly I turned my head, and just on the edge of my vision I could see a huge bug-like monster hanging on the wall. I stood up, and grabbed Tidus by the shoulder. "We've got company," I told him. He looked at me, then he followed my gaze and saw the monster was there.

For a moment none of us moved, until the monster hissed and ran around the edge of the walls in a complete circle. It jumped down in front of us, hissing and nipping its two pairs of scissor-like claws. I pulled Selini out of its sheath and Tidus pulled out his red and curved hunting sword. The monster took a swipe at us and I dodged it to respond with cut of my own.

The next few minutes passed, the monster trading blows with Tidus and me. Then all of a sudden a door to our right blasted open in an explosion. I jumped back to avoid a flying piece of rock, and when I looked back I saw a total of four men, some wearing goggles and some wearing masks. In front of them was a girl.

She was a little shorter than me, with goggles, boots, a guard over her right arm and a large mitt over her left. She wore a red and beige diving suit, accompanied by a helmet that covered her head except for her face and hair. The four men behind her pointed their guns at the fiend we were fighting, and then she walked up to stand beside us and wave for the monster to come and get us.

"You on our side? Cool!" Tidus said. I nodded, and charged at the fight, bringing Selini down in an overhead blow. The monster grabbed my sword in its talons and squeezed intent and snapping my blade. However, when it tried Selini glowed bright silver and the monsters talons began burning. It shrieked and let go of my sword, jumping back to get away from it. I looked at my sword in wonder; just how had it done that?

Tidus jumped and gave the monster a good cut on the arm, but before it could react, the mysterious girl threw something in the air toward the fiend. I looked at it and my eyes widened. A grenade! I vaulted back as far away from the fiend as I could, and when it hit the ground the grenade detonated in a small explosion that left the fiend engulfed in smoke.

I stood there for a moment, waiting to see if the fiend was dead, but then the smoke cleared and it was still on its feet. Frowning in annoyance, I decided to give this monster what it was asking for. I ran forward, jumped up and yelled "Take this!" before spinning around in the air, using my Whirlwind Blade attack. At least seven deep gashes appeared all over its body.

Tidus then called "I've been saving this one for you!" and began doing a series of flips and cartwheels towards the fiend. It charged at him, but at the last second Tidus jumped and spiraled in the air, before slamming back down in a deadly overhead attack. The girl threw another grenade, and when it named full impact, I thought for sure the monster was dead, but it was still in fighting condition. I groaned; just how much would it take to kill these things?

Then I took a close look and saw that while it could still fight, the fiend was far from good condition. It looked like it could barely stand up, but it was still going strong. I looked down at Selini, and got an idea. I looked over at the girl. "Hey! Can you throw another grenade or something?" I asked. She looked at me, but then she rummaged around in her pocket and pulled one out. She raised her eyebrows questioningly. I nodded and turned to Tidus. "When I say now, Run forward and hit that thing one time as hard as you can. Got it?"

He nodded, and then I looked at the fiend. It was still trying to stay standing up, and I sensed a moment of weakness. I charged at it and yelled "NOW!" Tidus, being faster than me, got ahead and hit it over the head with the flat of his blade hard enough for the metal to ring. The girl, getting the gist of what I called, threw her last grenade. The blast hit the monster head-on, and while it was trying to both dazed from Tidus's strike and blinded by the smoke, I ran forward and plunged Selini into its side.

It hissed in agony as my blade glowed silver again and the flesh around it began to burn. It tried to jerk away, but I twisted the blade and it was unable to move away. I held it there; I had no mercy for those who tried to kill me. Eventually its struggles became weaker, and it slumped over on the ground. Instead of it lying there however, lights like fireflies drifted from its body and it slowly faded out of existence.

I stood there, trying to catch my breath, and I looked over to see the girl from before take off her goggles. Her eyes were green with a swirl in them. I walked over next to Tidus to get a good look at her face. She couldn't be more than fifteen. Tidus sighed in relief that it was over and said "That was close." The girl looked around, and suddenly one of the guys before grabbed both me and Tidus by the hair and held our heads back. I called "Hey!" but the two other guys from before pointed their guns at me.

"Fryd yna draca?" one of them asked. Another responded "Dfu veahtc. Eh risyh teckieca!" the other responded. "Oac! Cu drao yne!" the first one said. Then the two we were holding pressed knives against our throats. "Fa gemm dras?" one of them asked. The girl stepped forward. "Fyed! Fryd ev drao yna risyhc?" she asked. The one that was holding a knife to Tidus flipped it over and pointed at her. "Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr." "E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk dras fedr ic!" she told him.

Then the girl walked up so she stood right between Tidus and me. I blinked in surprise. The girl said "Cunno," and then I felt her fist punch me in the stomach hard enough for me to see stars. I fell to the ground, swiftly losing hold on reality, but the last thing I saw before I fell unconscious was two of the men with guns coming to pick me up.

Then I blacked out.

xxx

Well, now Sofia has met up with two of the cast, and more adventures are soon to come!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners. If I did own it, I would order an HD remake for XBOX 360 and PS3.

Ch.3 Underwater Excavation

Slowly I rose from the blackness that was sleep and opened my eyes. I was sitting on the edge of a metal ship alongside Tidus, in the middle of an ocean as far as the eye can see. I groaned; my stomach still hurt from the hit I had gotten to it. Two guys with guns stood in front of us, and when I tried to get up one of them knocked me back down, saying "Ced lybdeja!"

I looked up at him and glared. "That hurt you know!" Then they pointed their guns at me and the other said "Hu sujehk, rayn?" A held my hands up in surrender, but I still glared at them. I saw Tidus stir beside me, and I switched my gaze to him. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked. Tidus groaned and opened his to look at me. "My stomach hurts from that hit, but other than that I'm fine." I nodded and said "Good?"

Then a door on the other end of the ship lifted open, and out of it walked to people. One was a guy wearing goggles in overalls with no shirt, and his chest was covered in tattoos of flames. The other was the girl from before, and I glared at her as the bruise on my stomach throbbed. The guy with the tattoos stopped in front of and said "Caynlr dras."

The girl hauled Tidus to his feet and tried to do the same to me, but shrugged her off and got up on my own. The guy made of grunting sounds at us and acted like he was swimming, but I couldn't understand a bit of it. Apparently neither could Tidus, because he said "Right. Sure." The guy looked at us and said "Tuac ed cbayg huf?" He pulled out the girls pair of goggles and made a few more grunting sounds, pointing at his head, and then out at the water.

"We don't understand what you're saying," I told him. The others said "Ehcomahla!" and pointed their guns at me. The girl behind us said "Fyed!" before saying "He said you two can stay if you make yourselves useful." Tidus looked back at her with astonishment. "You-You understand us?!" he asked, but then one the guys hit him on the back of the head. "All right; I'll work!" he exclaimed. The girl and the guy in overalls looked at me, and I shrugged. "What have I got to lose?" I asked rhetorically.

"Great!" the girl said. "We found some ancient ruins right beneath us. It's not active now, but there should still be some power left. We're going to go down there and activate it. Then we should be able to salvage the big prize!" she said excitedly. Tidus said "Roger!" and jumped off the rail of the ships side, turning to give us a thumbs-up on the way down. I took of my coat, shoes and socks, leaving me in my T-shirt and pants with my sword at my side. I and bent my fingers, the bones and tendons kricking.

Then I walked up to the edge of the ship and grabbed the rail, then jumped up and pushed on the railing, the combined force helping me vault over it. I dove into the water, and for a second everything was a mass of bubbles before the cleared and the water as clear as day. Tidus was a little farther down, and he motioned for me to follow. I swam down, the girl following behind, and Tidus turned to swim farther down, me in tow.

We had made it a little farther down when suddenly a trio of fish appeared before us, their huge teeth glinting. Tidus and I both pulled our swords, and the girl got a grenade ready. I slashed at one fish-monster while Tidus killed another and their bodies faded into those strange lights. But when the girl tried hit one with the claws on her arm, but it just staggered back before charging at me. I killed it before it got close, but I looked over at the girl and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged and raised her hands. I guess physical attacks weren't her strong suit.

After that little episode we managed to swim our way down to the ruins without any more interference. Once we were inside, we came to a closed door with a panel in front of it. I looked at Tidus and gestured from the panel to the door. He nodded and swan up to the panel. He hit a button and the screen lit up. He tried to input a few commands, but none of them opened the door. The girl and I floated there for a full minute while he tried to figure it out before I got tired and swam up next to him.

He paddled out of the way, and I pulled Selini out of its sheath. I rammed the butt of my sword against the panel, and even though the water took a lot of force out of my blows, a dull thud could be heard. I hit again once, twice, three times, and suddenly the door slid open. I smiled, and we swam through the doorway into a huge open room with a reactor like machine in the middle. I looked at the girl, pointed at it and raised an eyebrow, silently asking if that was the machine we needed to activate.

She shook her head and motioned for us to follow her. We did, and she led us around the machine to a hallway. We swan through it into another, smaller, room, with a generator on the ceiling. The girl pointed up at it, and Tidus swam up and began pounding on it like I did with the panel. After a few hits, the room began shaking and the machine turned on, glowing with a green light. The moment we did however, I felt the skin on the back of my neck prickle, as if someone was watching us.

I turned to look back down the hallway, and I caught the glimpse of a tentacle like that of an octopus's. Getting a bad feeling, I looked over to see Tidus and the girl looking at me. They nodded to my unspoken question; they had seen it too. I pulled Selini out of its sheath, Tidus got his red sword and the girl pulled out a grenade. We all nodded and swam into the first room. Immediately we came face to face with a huge sea monster. It had a vaguely regularly shaped head, except it was covered by a hard tan-colored shell. It had maybe six tentacles like an octopus's.

It hissed at us and bubbles streamed from its uneven pointed teeth. I gripped Selini tighter and swan forward, giving it a good cut on one of its tentacles. It glared and me and swung one of its tentacles, but at that exact moment the girl threw her grenade. Despite being underwater the blast was still strong, enough to send both me and the monster back through the water, the monster will one of its tentacles actually missing.

It screeched and swam to the other side of the machine in the center of the room. I held up my sword, prepared for an attack while Tidus and the girl prepared themselves as well. The monster lowered its head and shot forward like a cork, turning about the machine to ram right into us. Luckily I had my guard up and blocked the brunt of the attack, but I still got hit pretty hard, particularly on my chest and right arm.

Tidus and I both glared at the monster and while I stabbed at its tentacles, Tidus hacked away at its shell on its head. The beast writhed in anger and tried to shake us off, but another grenade from the girl stunned it for as moment. Taking the chance, I sliced off another of its tentacles, leaving it with only four left. At that it snapped out of its daze and managed to shake both me and Tidus off and swim back around the machine again.

This time however, Tidus waved at the girl and me and pointed to the two sides of the machine. Getting what he meant, the girl and I swam around one side of the machine while Tidus swam around the other until we were on both sides of the monster, trapping it. Its eyes narrowed in rage and it tried to batter us with its tentacles, but a third grenade from the girl stopped it. Tidus took the opportunity use his move Spiral Cut right on its shell, making a huge crack in it.

The monster writhed in pain and flung its tentacles around. I saw a bit of its head through the crack in the shell, and I got an idea. I waved my arms at the girl and she looked at me. I motioned for her to toss me a grenade, and she did. I swan toward the monster and motioned for Tidus to follow. It focused on me and swung all four of its tentacles at me. I dodged one and sliced off another, but the other two slammed right into me. The impact was strong enough to send me down onto the floor even though I was underwater.

For a second I saw stars, until I shook my head and saw that the monster was closing in on me, its last three tentacles writhing. Quickly I kicked my feet and swam up as far as I could, but the monster was too fast. It closed in until it was right in front of me, and I thought it was over. That was, until Tidus swam up and hacked at its crack in its shell. It eyes bulged in pain and it spun around, providing me with the moment I needed.

I swam up while it was focused on Tidus until I was right in front of the crack in its shell. Taking the clip out, I shoved the grenade in the crack and lodged it in so that it wouldn't come out. I kicked on the shell to get the extra force I needed to send me back, just as the lodged in grenade exploded. For a second the froth of bubbles the blast made blocked view of the monster, but when it cleared almost half of its shell was gone. It looked from me to Tidus, trying to decide who to kill, but when it looked at me Tidus came up and stabbed its exposed right with his sword.

The monster spasm-ed in pain and sank a few feet before fading into those strange lights. I look over swam over to Tidus and gave him a high-five, feeling glad that we had won. Then I looked over at the girl and nodded my thanks. We weren't friends, but I accepted her now. She nodded back before pointing at a hole in the wall and swim out of it. Tidus and I followed.

Now that the power was back on the other people from the ship could see through the water, and were apparently searching for the "big prize" the girl had been talking. I swam a little further, wondering what they were looking for, until I saw it. It was deep down, buried beneath a ton of rock and moss, but it appeared to be shape of a huge ship. The others saw it too and began swimming down there. Satisfied that our work here as done I looked up to see Tidus already swimming to the surface.

Once we both got back on the ship, Tidus shook his head and body to get rid of any excess water, while I grabbed my socks, shoes and coat and put them back on, leaving the chest and leg parts unzipped like before. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a hairband and pulled my black hair back into a long ponytail, like I usually did when I waited for to to dry.

Some of the guys walked by me. One of them said "Fa vuiht dra airship!" and the other replied "Dra naluntc fana nekrd." The door opened and the last one asked "Huf, ruf du tnyk ed ib?" Tidus and I followed, but when we neared the door one of them turned around and shoved us back, saying "Oui dfo, uidceta!" Tidus called "Hey, we helped out, didn't we?" The door shut and I "hmph"ed. "Guess that's all the thanks we get," I told him. He walked away and sat against a crate, annoyed, but personally I was just glad they let us live. Whoever these guys were, I guessed they didn't trust people easily.

A few hours later Tidus and I were still sitting outside on the ship's deck, but I could feel my stomach start to growl. Tidus actually said "Uhh... hungry," and I couldn't help but smile a little. The guy really didn't try to hide how he felt about things, did he? Then I heard footsteps, and I turned to see the girl who fought the monster with us hand us each a tray with food. Tidus got what appeared to be meatloaf, while I got a bowl of rice. How did they know I liked that? Tidus said "Whoa! Right on!" and began wolfing it down, but I looked up at her and asked "Do you by any chance have a fork or chopsticks?"

She nodded and handed me a spoon from her pocket. I nodded my thanks and began to eat my rice, but before I could but a grain in my mouth I heard Tidus gasping, as if he had trouble breathing. The girl said "Hey!" and handed him a canteen of water. He grabbed it desperately and took a long drink, eventually clearing his throat and breathing a sigh of relief. The girl knelt down at him and said "It's because you eat to fast."

Tidus nodded, then laughed and stood up, stretching. I stood up with my rice bowl and walked over. He turned to the girl and said "Hello there. What is your name?" She looked at him and said "Rikku." Then he grabbed her hand. "Whoa! You really do understand!" He let go of her hand and walked around, cheering. I turned to her and asked "Why didn't you tell us before?" "I didn't get a chance to. Everyone thought oui were a pair of fiends." She acted like she was slitting her throat, giving the very clear indication that a fiend was bad.

Tidus looked at her in confusion. "Uh... 'we'?" he asked. "Oh, 'oui' means 'you'," Rikku explained. Tidus still looked confused, but he decided to change the subject. "Who are you guys anyway?" She leaned against the rail. "We're Al Bhed; can't you tell?" She turned around quickly. "Wait, you're not an Al Bhed- hater, are you?" "I don't even know what an Al Bhed is," he replied.

"Where are you from?" "Zanarkand. I'll a blitzball player." He acted like he was kicking a ball. "Star player of the Zanarkand Abes." Rikku looked at him and asked "Did you... hit your head or something?" "Uh... you guys hit me?" he reminded her. "Oh right. Do you remember anything before that?" Rikku asked. Tidus walked up and leaned against the rail with her.

For about the next hour we all heard Tidus talk about life in this Zanarkand, blitzball, which I guess was a sport, and how Sin attacked it. When he explained that last part my eyes widened. It sounded just like what happened when Sin attacked _my _home. It looked he jut said whatever he was thinking, until he stopped and looked at Rikku."Did I... say something funny?" he asked.

She had a thoughtful look on her face. "You were near Sin?" she asked. Tidus nodded. "Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your head gets funny when Sin is near. Maybe you had some kind of dream?" she wondered. Tidus looked at her, confused. "You mean I'm sick?" he clarified. "Because of Sin's toxin, yeah," Rikku replied. I thought about it. When I was engulfed in that light, I did feel kind of light-headed, and a little drowsy. "Are you sure?" Tidus pressed.

"Yeah, there is no Zanarkand anymore. Sin destroyed it a thousand years ago. So no one plays blitzball there," Rikku explained, before getting off the rail. I blinked in surprise and Tidus stared at her in disbelief. "Wha... What do you mean 'a thousand years ago'? But I saw Sin attack Zanarkand. And you're saying that happened a thousand years ago? No way!" We all stood there for a little bit while Tidus tried to process this. Although I kept it to myself, I could hardly believe it either. This guy had to be around seventeen, and had just sen his home destroyed, and yet that all happened one thousand years ago? Not very likely.

Eventually I guess Rikku wanted to change the subject, because she asked Tidus "You said... you play blitzball?" He nodded. "You know, you should go to Luca. You might meet someone you know, or there might be someone that recognizes you," she reckoned. "Luca?" he asked her, and she put her head in her hands. She walked around before coming back to tap Tidus on the shoulder so he would look at her.

"Don't worry. I'll get you to Luca. Promise." She laughed a little. "You'd rather stay here?" Tidus shook his head and she looked at me. "What about you? Do you want to go?" I thought about it and shrugged. "Why not? It's like I anywhere else to go," I told her. She nodded and said "Okay, I'll go let the others know." and she walked back to the door to head inside. Just before she did however, she turned back to warn Tidus "By the way, don't tell anyone you're from Zanarkand, okay? Yevon says it's a holy place. You might upset someone."

Again Tidus and I were left to wait out on the deck of the ship. I thought a bit about what Rikku had said. The city Tidus had come from had been destroyed a thousand years ago, but he had seen it like it was yesterday. It made me wonder; had San Francisco been destroyed too? And could it have been a thousand years ago as well? I thought that Sin had just taken me to some strange place that I might be able to leave But the future?

Tidus must have been thinking along the same lines as me, because he said "No way!" and kicked a crate in frustration. The moment he did however, the entire ship shook and he was knocked off his feet. He rolled until he hit the railing. I looked out to sea to see a huge pillar of water, heading our way. The door a the and of the ship opened and the guys from before, Rikku too, ran out to fall as well.

"Sin!" one yelled. Another called "Sin ec lusa!" "Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!" Tidus stood up and I grabbed onto the crate for support, but then a huge waved erupted and swept me and Tidus completely off deck. I saw the others look down, wanting to help us, but then a current dragged both me and Tidus under.

xxx

Well, well all know where Sofia is heading know, so get ready!

Greymon Leader thank you for being the first to follow this story. I knew you were a nice guy. (If you're a guy that is. I believe you are.)

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.4 Wakka and Blitzball

Once again the sound of waves roused me from my slumber, only this time instead of waking up on a ship, I was in the middle of the ocean. I kicked around for a second until I floated with my head and shoulders above the water. To my left Tidus was waking up too. I paddled over to him. I was about to ask if he was okay when we both we hit in the head by something.

"Ow!" I yelled. I looked over to see that not far away was a beach with a group of people on its shore. Then I looked at the ball. It was white with blue stripes and yellow writing, and was covered with bumps. I had never seen a ball that looked like it before, but apparently Tidus had because he smiled and said "Blitzball!" Huh, so that was a blitzball.

Someone from shore yelled "Hey, you guys okay?" Tidus called "Hey!" and waved back, before diving under water. I raised an eyebrow, curious as to what he was doing, before he shot up out of the water with the ball rising above his head. He turned around and flipped over in one move, and kicked the ball with his feet while he was upside down. The ball went soaring through the air, and one of the guys on shore had to duck to avoid getting hit.

I looked at the other ball, and suddenly I had an idea. I picked the ball up threw it into the air, and launched myself up as well. I tucked my legs against my chest and spun forward, like a ball when it rolls along the ground. Once I had gained enough speed, I stretched my legs out, and kicked the ball with the back of my feet. The ball shot forward like a cannonball and the same guy from before had to dive to the side as the ball went straight in his direction. It hit the side of a cliff with a loud _bang!_

I blinked in surprise; where had that move come from? "Hey, not bad!" Tidus complimented. I smiled, and began swimming to the shore. By the time we got there the guy from before was talking to two other people, and the others had surrounded us. They were all wearing yellow trousers and vests, and I guess they were all part of a team. The guy came up to us, and I got a good look at him.

He had brown, muscled skin, brown eyes and red-orange hair that shot up in the front and curled back over his head. Like the others he had on a pair of sandals baggy yellow trousers and a yellow vest without a shirt, but he had a blue and yellow armguard over his left arm with a brown band around the other, and beige pad on his left shoulder. Tidus said "Yo, hiya," uncertainly, while I crossed my arms nodded.

The guy with the shoulder pad asked "You wanna… try that move one time? Both of you?" Tidus smiled and acted like he won something, while I shrugged and said "Sure, why not?" The other handed us two balls, and Tidus and I both repeated the moves we had done before, only this time it seemed even easier to me than the first time. Just where had I learned to play blitzball? The guy said "You no amateurs. What team you guys play for?"

"I don't play for any team," I told him. He looked at me in surprise, which turned to shock when Tidus said "The Zanarkand Abes!" All the guys around us started whispering to each other, and the guy with the shoulder pad asked "What team you say again?" The penny dropped, and Tidus said "I… uh… got to close to Sin's, uh, toxin! So, my heads all foggy-like. So I don't know where this place is, or even where I came from." "I got affected by Sin too. Maybe that's why I don't remember playing for a team," I added hastily.

"Sin's toxin got to ya," the guy said sympathetically. "But you're still alive. Praise be to Yevon." Then he and all the other guys spread the arms and then brought them in front of their chests, so it was like they were holding an imaginary ball, and bowed. I looked at them in confusion, wondering what they were doing, but then the guy turned to the others and said "Alright, back to practice!" Then he turned to us and stuck his hand in the air. Tidus grabbed it, and I shook it. His hands were rough and calloused, and could guess he had been playing sports for a while.

"I'm Wakka, coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs, brudda," the guy said. Tidus said "My name's Tidus" while I said "I'm Sofia." Then suddenly I could hear Tidus's stomach grumble. "What, you hungry? Okay, back to the village. I'll get you somethin'!" Wakka promised before turning and walking off. Before we followed him I looked at Tidus and asked "Does that pit you call a stomach _stop_ growling?" I asked rhetorically. That had to be the third time and counting he had gotten hungry!

He smiled a little sheepishly and said "Hey! A guy's gotta eat!" I rolled my eyes in mock irritation and smiled. "Whatever. Let's go." He nodded, and we followed Wakka to the edge of the beach. But as we reached the edge, Tidus asked "Hey, Wakka?" and his voice was somewhat sad. Wakka turned back around, and Tidus asked "It's true Zanarkand was destroyed right? A thousand years ago? So, it's just a big pile of rubble now, isn't it?"

Wakka explained "'Long time ago, there were a whole lot of cities in Spira; big cities with machina- machines- to run 'em. Then, well, take a look." I did, and I noticed that there was a bunch of ruined building around the edges of the beach. "Sin came, and destroyed all the machina cities and Zanarkand along with them. Yeah, that was about a thousand years, like you said. What I don't get though, is why we gotta suffer because of what some goofballs did way back when. 'Course we must always repent for our sins. That's important. It's just… it's hard to keep at sometimes, you know?"

Tidus looked away, but I could see sadness and a flicker of pain appear across his face. So it was true, Zanarkand had been destroyed. Wakka and Rikku couldn't both be lying; they didn't even know each other. Then Wakka laughed and threw his arm over Tidus's shoulder. "But you from the Zanarkand Abes, that was good one, huh? Hey I'm not saying the team never existed, ya? But you gotta figure, a team living in luxury like that would be pretty soft, eh?"

I frowned. The guy was trying to cheer Tidus up, but he really wasn't succeeding. Tidus walked off, and I could see that look of sadness still on his face. I walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at me. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I saw my home be destroyed too." His expression changed to surprise, but I continued. "And if you just let things work out, I'm sure that you'll be able to go back. Maybe even the next time you come in contact with Sin. So just don't worry about things, alright?"

He thought about this for a second, before nodding and smiling a little. "I see. Thanks, Sofia," he said. I nodded and jerked my thumb over to Wakka. "Now let's follow Wakka over there, shall we?" I asked. He nodded. We walked away from the beach to the beginnings of a tropic forest. On the path to the right Wakka called "Hey! It's this way!" before running off. We ran along the same path, until we both ended at the edge of a cliff.

I looked down to see that far below was a huge lake of water that probably stretched to the other side of the island. I was about to ask Wakka if there was another way when I felt someone push me from behind. I yelled "Whoa!" and fell down into the water. For a second there was a flurry of bubbles, until my head and shoulders broke the water and I saw that Tidus had been pushed over as well.

I looked up to see Wakka dive and land in the water of his own power, and I realized that _he_ was the one that had pushed me and Tidus over. "What's the bid idea?!" Tidus asked. I added "We could have just as easily dived down too!" But Wakka just smiled and began swimming forward, leaving us no choice but to follow. As we swam through a number more of monster-like fish attacked us, but with the three of us together they didn't stand a chance.

At point Tidus and I were swimming under a pillar when I heard Wakka laugh sneakily. Getting a bad feeling, I dived underwater just as Wakka managed to put Tidus in a headlock. "Hey! Let him go!" I called, but when I swam over to help Wakka put me in a headlock too. Unlike Tidus I didn't try to struggle, but I use those purple-blue eyes of mine to glare at Wakka hard enough to burn holes in paper. "I got a favor to ask you both," Wakka said.

"Let me take a guess, you want us to dress up in tutus and join a circus with a bunch of trapeze monkeys," I said sarcastically, though not without venom. He looked at me with confusion, until Tidus asked "You want us on your team, right?" He nodded and let go of us both. Tidus sank a little in the water before floating on the surface, while I stayed afloat and still glaring at Wakka.

"A major blitz tournament's coming up. All the teams in Spira will be there. It'll be so huge, I'm sure someone there will recognize you two. The, you can go back to your old teams, right? It'll be fun; what do ya say? Come on, come on!" Wakka tried to persuade us. Tidus somberly said "Sure thing," before swimming off. I took a deep breath and slowly let my irritation at the headlock and being pushed into the water go. "Okay, I'm in," I said, before turning and diving after Tidus. Wakka said "Dude, our team is gonna rock, ya?" and followed us.

After a little more swimming we made it onto dry land, and I saw Wakka standing over the edge of a cliff with a rail. Me and Tidus walked up beside him to see a small village farther below. "Is that your village?" I asked Wakka. He nodded. "Yeah, this is where I was born. I joined the Aurochs at thirteen, ten years ago. Ten years… and we never won a game. Well, after last year's tournament I quit. The time seemed right." He walked off, and before I followed him I could hear Tidus's stomach growl again.

"So, after quitting, I get this new job, ya? But every time my mind wandered, I thought about the game," Wakka said. Tidus looked at him. "Ten years without a single win'll do that to you." Wakka grunted. "My first match last year was my big chance. But something else was on my mind. I couldn't focus." "Nice excuse," I told him. He protested, but Tidus said "So, you want to win the next tournament- go out with a bang."

Wakka nodded, and Tidus asked "So, what's our goal?" "I don't care how we do, as long as we do our best. If we give it our all, I can walk away happy." Tidus moved to stand in front of him. "No, no, no, no, no. When I say 'What's our goal?' you say 'Victory!' In a blitzball game, you play to win." Wakka looked at him. "Victory? You serious?" he asked. Tidus nods and I smile. "It's decided then. Let's kick some blitzball butt!" They both nod confidently, and we turn to walk down to the village.

xxx

Whoa, now Sofia's in on the tournament too. Originally I wasn't going to give her any blitzball skills, but the idea refused to leave, and so I decided to go with it! Hope you enjoy!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 5 Breaking the Rules

We walked down the road leading to Wakka's village, and we came across two guys. One was a guy with tanned skin and red hair, and the other was a guy a little younger with dark skin and black hair. The one with the red hair said "Ah, the ones from the sea!" "Be on guard, there are fiends on the road today," the other warned. "After your run-ins with Sin 'twould be shame if something happened now." Then the two turned and ran off.

I raised an eyebrow and asked "Who are those two?" "Luzzu and Gatta- Crusaders," Wakka replied. Tidus looked confused. "Crews-of-what?" he asked. "What, you forgot that too?" Wakka asked. Tidus hung his head while I raised my other eyebrow at him. "Hey, sorry," he said. "Don't worry; I'll help you two out." I smiled. "Thanks. In exchange, when the tournament comes along, we'll make sure we win," I told him. "Cool," Wakka said. "About the Crusaders, you can ask them yourself. They got a lodge in the village."

We walked a little farther, until we came to the end of the path and a small village stood before us. "Besaid Village," Wakka said proudly. There were a cluster of small houses to my left, and right, while a big circle stood in the village center. A little farther away there was a huge stone temple. The sky was a robin egg blue, and the whole place was filled with palm trees. A true island village, and a nice one at that. But the first thing Tidus asked was "They got any food there?"

I laughed a little, and Wakka said "We'll get there something. Take a look around first." He pointed over to a big blue tent. "The Crusaders' lodge is over yonder. Luzzu and Gatta are usually there." He was about to walk off when he remembered something and said "Over here!" gesturing to right beside the front of the village. I raised an eyebrow and followed. He looked at us both. "Okay, you guys do remember the prayer, right?"

I blinked a few times, and then we both shook our heads. "Man that's like the basics of the basics. Here, I'll show you." Then he did the same gesture as he did on the beach, but more slowly. He bent one knee and spread his arms out, then stood up and brought them together so it looked like he was holding a ball, and bowed. "Go ahead, you try," he said. I repeated the gesture, along with Tidus and he nodded. "Hey, not bad, he said. "Okay, now go present yourselves to the temple summoner." And he walked off.

Tidus looked at me. "Should we go to the temple?" he asked. I shrugged. "You can go if you want; I'm going to see if I can figure out more about these Crusaders." And I walked off. I neared the lodge Wakka had pointed to. It was a huge sea blue tent with a big door in the front. I walked through. There was a wooden desk-like counter to my right, forward there were two rows of beds, and to my left was a table where the two guys, Luzzu and Gatta, were.

They saw me and the one with black hair, Gatta, waved me over. I walked to stand at the table, and he asked "Hey, you were attacked by Sin right? Was it recently?" I nodded, and he looked suspicious. "So, Sin can't be far behind then. Are you sure you're not hiding anything?" I looked at him and asked "Why in the world would I do that?" "If Sin is nearby, it'll attack the island for sure. But it hasn't. I wonder why?" Luzzu said.

"Sorry. I don't know anything that could help," I apologized. "To be frank, the toxin even wiped my memory of what the Crusaders might be." They looked at in disbelief, but then Luzzu said "Well, if that's true, then Gatta will tell you who we are. Gatta!" Gatta said "Yes, sir!" and stood up before explaining. "The Crusaders are sworn to battle Sin. We have chapters throughout Spira, accepting all who wish to join our struggle.

"Eight hundred years ago the hero Mi'hen formed the Crusaders eight hundred years ago as the Crimson Blades. Later on we changed our name to the Crusaders. We've been fighting Sin ever since," Gatta explained. I thought about this for a moment, and then replied "So basically, you're like the military, or a band of warriors." Luzzu chuckled. "I guess that's one way to see it, yes. However, the Crusaders aren't the only warriors in all of Spira."

"That's right," Gatta agreed. "They are the Chocobo Knights, the warrior monks, every one of the Ronso, and there was one other…" He thought about it for a second before saying "Oh yeah. The summoner guardians!" I was confused. "The summoner guardians? Who are they?" I asked. "The guardians who protect their summoners. Who else?" I didn't have who the fainted clue what a summoner was, but I decided to let the issue drop. "Well, thanks for letting me know. See ya!" I said as I walked out. They waved at me, and went back to whatever they had done before.

Once I stepped out of the tent, I took a deep breath and thought about what I had just learned. The Crusaders, warriors who dedicated their lives to fighting Sin, to protect Spira and the people who inhabited it. I smiled; the idea of it kind of appealed to me. But first, I had to figure out what these summoners were, and why they needed guardians. Wakka had said to go see the temple summoner, so that was probably the best place to go see what I could learn.

I turned and walked toward the huge stone structure that was the temple, and walked through a pair of huge doors. The moment I did, I was struck by what I had seen. Torches burned brightly at intervals along the edge of a huge circular room. Against the wall were rows of statues, with people kneeling before them and praying. There were a few huge statues of people near the back, where there was a huge staircase that led up to a single door.

I walked forward, unable to believe the grandeur of the place. This truly was a place of prayer, where faith was upheld and believed in with passion. I was nearing the huge staircase when a bald man in an orange robe said "Are you here to practice your faith?" I looked at him and he continued "Or are you perhaps here to wish our apprentice summoner well?" "Oh yeah, can you tell me what a summoner is?"

The man in robes looked surprised, and a number of other people began muttering. I looked around. "What? I got too close to Sin's toxin. It's not my fault I forgot." The others looked reassured, and the man began explaining. "The summoners are practitioners of a sacred art, sworn to protect the people of Yevon. Only a few become summoners, who are able to call forth entities of great power: the aeons. The aeons hear our prayers and come down to us. They are the blessing of Yevon."

I considered it, and said "So basically, summoners are people who have the power to call forth these 'aeons' and are highly respected by the people of the 'Yevon', right?" He nodded, and I asked "So what's the purpose of the guardians?" "Summoners travel on a pilgrimage to every temple in Spira, but the road can sometimes be dangerous. It's the duty of the guardian to protect the summoner." I nodded, and now that I had the information I needed, I left the temple.

So I knew what the Crusaders were, and guardians too. Both of them were groups of warriors, in a sense, and the image they represented appealed to me. I had been thrown into this world, so if I was going to try to find out how I had gotten here, I needed something to support myself. I had promised Wakka I would help him and his team win the blitzball tournament, but what about after? What would I do then?

Shaking my head, I decided that I would deal with this later, and went to figure out which of the huts was the one that belonged to Wakka. Eventually I found him, and he was sitting in one in front of a table. When I came in he saw me and smiled. "Hey Sofia, Did you go see the temple summoner?" he asked. I nodded, and he said "Well? How did it go?" "It went okay," I said. "The guy was kind of surprised that Sin's toxin made me forget about summoners and whatnot, but he explained it and seemed to be glad that I got the gist."

"That's good. But it's not time for lunch yet. Why don't you take a nap like Tidus?" he suggested. I looked over to see that Tidus was indeed asleep. I decided why not, and said "Sure. See you in bit," climbing onto a bed that was next to him. I punched the pillow a few times to make sure it was soft, and lay down to fall asleep.

xxx

_I had a dream, but it wasn't a normal dream. It was a replay of one of my memories._

_I dreamed I was sitting in a log cabin in front of a fire. Snow blew outside and rattled the windows, but none of the chill penetrated the walls. I was sitting in front of the fire with crayons and paper along the floor, kicking my feet in the air and drawing pictures like I did when I was a kid. The door opened and I looked up, and through it came my father, Alexander. He was tall, with a small dark beard, hazel eyes, and he was wearing an orange thermal suit from getting wood for the fire. But his being here was impossible; my dad had disappeared when I was seven._

_He smiled and me and bent over, picking up the picture I had been working on. A polar bear holding a Dr. Pepper bottle. He looked at me and asked "_Sofia, why is this bear holding a bottle of Dr. Pepper? He drinks Coca-Cola." _I looked up and said "_Because Daddy, I thought he wanted to have Dr. Pepper. People always make him drink Coke; he might have wanted something different."

_He laughed and reached down to rub my head. "_That's why I love you. You always see things in a new way. I love that." _He hands me back my drawing and says "_Why don't you finish that up? I'd like to see that bear finish that soda."_ I smiled and happily replied "_Okay!" _and worked on fishing the picture. Alexander smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him. _

_I had never gotten him to show that picture to him, because that was the last time I saw him. I still had that picture to this day._

xxx

I woke up from my dream and looked around. Tidus had just woken up, and he was looking around the hut, as if looking for something. I sat up too and noticed what he had just seen. Wakka was gone?" "Wakka?" I ask, but there was no reply. I tuned to Tidus and ask "Do you know where he went?" He shook his head and said "Let's go look for him." "Agreed," I said, and we both went to look for him.

Our search didn't take long, and we found him in the temple talking with the guy in the orange robe. "Is something wrong?" Tidus asked. Wakka turned to look at us and said "The summoner hasn't returned from the trial." I looked at, confused, and he looked at the door at the top of the staircase. "There's a room in there called the Cloister of Trials. Beyond is where the summoner prays. If the prayer is heard, the apprentice becomes a fully-fledged summoner, remember?"

"So basically, the apprentice is in there somewhere had he or she hasn't come out yet. Got it," I said. "A day's already gone by," Wakka said. "Is it particularly dangerous in there?" Tidus asked. "Sometimes, yes," Wakka said grimly. "Then why don't you go in and help?" I ask, alarmed. "There's already guardians in there. Besides, it's forbidden," he explained. I ran up the stairs. "Hey, but what if something bad happens? What if the summoner dies?!" I nearly yell. "Yeah!" Tidus agreed, standing beside me.

The guy in orange said "The precepts must be obeyed!" Tidus said "Like I care!" and ran though the doors. The whole of the temple gasped, but I ignored them and ran inside.

xxx

Well, now Sofia and Tidus have gone and done it. But we all know who shows up next, so stay tuned!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 6 Yuna

Tidus and I walked through down a set of steps to end of in a small stone room. I blinked; this was the Cloister of Trials? But if that was true where was the apprentice summoner that everyone was worried about, and her guardians too? Tidus spoke what I was thinking when he said "Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Where is everyone?" I shook my head, indicating that I didn't know either, and I thought about it. The summoners I guessed had to be strong in order to summon the- what were they called again?- aeons.

But that may not necessarily mean strength in body, and I looked up as it hit me. "Wait a minute!" I said, and Tidus looked at me. "Maybe the Cloister of Trials isn't meant to test your body, but your mind! This could be a maze!" He thought about ti for a second, and then he smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it's a maze!" But then his smile vanished. "So how do we keep going?"

I didn't know the answer for that, and I began looking around the room for anything unusual. There was a few lines of symbols across one wall, and on another there was a design of a strange glyph. I touched the glyph with the tips of my fingers, and it glowed with a green light. The symbols on the wall next to Tidus vanished, to be replaced by a copy of the glyph I had just touched. "Sweet! Try touching that one," I told Tidus.

He nodded and did. The top arrow of the glyph glowed before a whole section of the wall slid upwards, revealing a set of stairs. Without a word we walked down it, and when we reached the bottom we found a green-glowing sphere set into a recess in the wall. "What do you suppose this does?" Tidus asked. I shrugged, pulled it out of its recess, and placed it in my pocket. "I don't know, but let's take it. It might come in handy," I said.

We rounded a corner and came face to face with a door. I tired pushing it open, but it wouldn't move. Frowning, I pushed harder, but it still wouldn't move. "Huh, it won't budge," I said. I took a good look at it, trying to see if there was any kind of lock, when I saw a circular recess in the middle of the door. Getting an idea, I took out the glowing green sphere and placed it in there. The door swung open without a sound.

Tidus said "Alright!" and walked through it, but I stayed behind and grabbed the sphere. It might open another door, I reckoned. We walked down a longer hallway, until we rounded a corner and I saw another hole in the wall. Without pausing to guess I placed the sphere in there. A section of the wall slid up to reveal another sphere, but this one was pinkish and seemed to have a destructive aura to it. "What do you suppose this one does?" I asked Tidus.

He shrugged, not knowing, and I pulled it out. We walked a little farther on, until we came across yet another recess on one wall, with rows of unusually bright symbols on the other. I tapped Tidus and motioned for him to touch the glyphs. He did, and that section of the wall slid up, revealing a smaller room with a matrix of light-up lines along the wall. The lines all connected at a single point, where there was a blue sphere sitting. Smiling, I reached over and tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't co me out.

Grunting, I tugged harder, and then harder, and harder, until I was pulling on the sphere with all my strength. "What's up?" Tidus asked. "It won't... budge!" I strained to say. I handed him the pink sphere and said "Here, take this for me." He held it in his right hand, and I pulled again on the blue sphere, and this time it came away like a cork out of a bottle. Making a sound of surprise, I took a step back, holding it up to see. "That's weird. How come it only came out after you handed me this sphere?" he asked, holding up the pink one.

I was perplexed, and thought about it for a second, until I realized it. "It's because each of us can only hold one sphere at a time," I said, momentarily impressed by that change in rules. That would make the maze more interesting, but with there being two of us it wouldn't be impossible. "Well, we have the blue sphere. Why don't you put that one in the hole right there while I put this one in the recess on the other wall?" I suggested.

He did, and when the pink sphere was in place one of the lines on the wall lit up pink, and I could hear a small explosion off to my left. "What was that?" I ask. He shrugged, and I looked around the corner at the end of the hallway to see that there was a hole in wall at the end of the hall, with a treasure chest sitting on a pedestal. "Score!" I called, and went over to open the chest. It unclasped the lock and pulled it open, but when I did there was a red symbol, similar to an eye, that flashed in the air before disappearing.

I looked down to see that in the chest was a rod, a little longer than my arm, with a light green ball at the top. Not my weapon of choice, but what the heck? I pulled it out and fitted it through a belt loop in my pants beneath my coat. I walked back around and showed Tidus the rod I had found. "What do you think?" I asked. "it looks good. Let's keep it in case we need it." I nodded, and paced the blue sphere in the recess across from the small room.

The wall glowed for a second before vanishing, revealing a smaller hallway and the recess to actually be pedestal. I pushed it farther down the hallway, until it landed on a small diamond and sank into the ground. The moment we did however, I heard someone behind us call "Hey!" We turned around to see it was Wakka. He walked forward, asking "What's gotten into you two? Hey it's okay." "What's the big problem with us coming in here anyway?" I asked.

He explained "Only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their guardians can enter here. It's a tradition, very important." "So what are you?" Tidus asked. "Me, I'm a guardian," he replied. I raised an eyebrow? "A guardian?" Wakka shrugged. The floor below flashed and changed to a stone platform, and then it began to move downward like an elevator. "Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira. Guardians protect them," Wakka said. We had reached the bottom, and I could hear a female voice singing.

The song was unlike anything I had every heard. It both happy and sad at the same time, and it felt like the song wasn't even from this world. It could have been a prayer hymn or a funeral dirge, but whatever it was, the song was beautiful. "The guardians in there now; one of them's got a short fuse, and who knows what the other's thinking. Well, we gone this far. Might as well go all the way." We out of the elevator and into a chamber, and there indeed was two people already there.

One was a young woman. She had long pitch-black hair that was tied up in a knot with several braids. She wore a black and gray long sleeved dress that showed a bit of her cleavage- to which I raised an eyebrow- and the top edge of it was lined with fur. On the lower half of her dress was a number of belts that interlaced with one another, and she had an amount of jewelry on her braids, for rings, and a pair of earrings. The other guardian, to my surprise, wasn't even human.

He looked like he was male, and part-man part-lion. He was tall, even taller than Wakka, and his blue skin bulged with muscles. He had on a set of clothes with a distinct tribal sense to them, and on his head was a horn, but it appeared to be broken. He stood by the side of a set of steps while the woman sat on the lower steps. "What are you doing here? Didn't think we would be able to handle it?" she asked. "Uh, no, it's just..." Wakka said, unnerved.

She stood and began walking over, and Wakka whispered "See; I told you she gets mad easy." "Who is she anyway?" I asked. "Her name is Lulu, and she's a guardian, along with Kimahri over there," he said, pointing at the blue guy by the steps. So, these two were what guardians looked like. Kimahri looked intimidating to say the least. Lulu stood in front of us and Tidus asked "Is the summoner alright?" She looked at him and gasped, a spark of recognition in her eyes. "Who are you?" she asked. But before Tidus could answer, the door at the top of the steps slid open. We all turned, I looked up at it, wondering what kind of old geezer this summoner was.

Only... it wasn't an old geezer.

It was a girl, who looked to be around the same age as me. She had brown hair that reached her shoulders, with eyes that were one green and one blue. She was wearing a ankle-long blue skirt with flowers along the edges, with a cut on the to reveal knee-high black boots. She wore a black camisole under a white sash that wrapped around her chest. From her elbows to her wrists were two kimono-like sleeves that were white with pink on the bottoms.

The girl leaned heavily against the side of the doorway, and she looked exhausted. She pushed herself off the edge and began to walk down the steps, but she only made it one step before she began to fall forward. Everyone in the room gasped, and Kimahri ran up and caught her. He stood there for a second, until the girl managed to straighten and dust herself off. She fixed her head and smiled. "I've done it. I have become a summoner!" she said.

xxx

After we had made it out of the Cloister of Trials the girl stood at the top of the temple steps and made the prayer sign before walking down. People instantly crowed around her, glad to see that she was okay. I was surprised to say the least. I had thought all the summoners would be like old men or grown women. To see that one was a girl as old as me put things in a new light for me.

The girl, Lulu, Kimahri, Wakka and the crowd began to move outside, and Tidus and I followed. We walked out of the temple, and I heard Wakka call "Over here!" We got a little closer, and Wakka put me and Tidus in a headlock, again. "Hey!" Tidus protested. "Wait till you see this!" Wakka said. "I can't _see _anything," I pointed out. He let go of us and called to the girl in the center of the village "Ready!" She nodded and said "Okay."

Then she began to move, raising her staff above her head and lowering it before spinning it in a circle. Then she paused for a moment before taking a step back and striking a pose. The ground around her lit up and four beams of light shot up into the sky. The beams met together in the clouds, an they parted to reveal a huge bird-like creature that flew toward the summoner. It had two huge wing with multicolored feathers, with clawed feet and a -lantern?- hanging from a spike on its chest. The beat lowered onto the ground, and the girl hesitantly reached out to pet it. It let her, and the ground began cheering.

Lulu and Wakka walked to girl to congratulate her, and the monster, I guess it was an aeon, flew away. I turned to see that Tidus had the same look of shock on his face as me. I was stunned; I had never seen an act like that, or any manner of creature like that in my entire life. "Have you seen anything like that before?" I asked. He shook his head, still in awe.

Later that night we all stayed around a hue fire that had been made in the circle in the village. Wakka brought to the two of us up in front of the others of the Besaid Aurochs. "I want to introduce you to the team. These two wanted into the tournament so bad, I let them on the team. Their memories are little fuzzy, so don't mind them if they say anything odd. Go on, say hi," he said, pushing us forward. Tidus looked nervous, so I stepped forward and "Hey guys, two things. One: My name is Sofia. Two: Wakka put us in a headlock and wouldn't let us go unless we said we'd join the tournament."

All the Aurochs laughed, and Wakka sputtered indignantly. Deciding to try and salvage his image after I had just damaged it, I added "Not that I wouldn't have joined either way, but he could do a headlock." They all laughed harder at this, and one of them commented "I gotta say, it's been a while since the Aurochs had a girl on their team." "And one that can put Wakka in his place too," another added. Wakka said "Now just wait one second!" but then Tidus stepped forward.

"Hi guys, er my name's Tidus." They looked at him, still laughing a little, and nodded. "So what's our goal?" Tidus asked. The Aurochs all replied "To do our best!" Tidus grunted, annoyed, and Wakka said "Nope, we got a new goal now. Our new goal... is victory! To win every match, defeat every opposing team. To bring the Crystal Cup back to our island." The others thought about his for a moment, repeating "victory," to themselves, until they began cheering "Victory! Victory! Victory!" over and over, ending with a shout of courage.

I looked over at Wakka and said "We sure got them worked up, huh?" He nodded and said "Let me know when you're tired. I had bed made for you." I nodded, and I saw that Tidus was talking to the girl summoner from before. He had a look in his eye that I couldn't explain. It was like he was looking at something incredible, and he didn't want to look away. Then a little girl tugged on her sleeve, and the two of them said a few more words before departing.

As he walked over I smiled mischievously and asked "Did you enjoy yourself?" He turned red for a second and tried to come up with a response, but Wakka said "Don't get any ideas." "No promises there, big guy. But hey, what if she like, comes on to me?" I raised an eyebrow. "If that actually happens, I'll buy you an airship," I said sarcastically. Deciding to at least figure out the summoner's name. I walked forward to where she was sitting with to elders and a young girl.

The old man called "You wench!" while the old lady said "You stay away from the good summoner!" and the girl exclaimed "You're a mean lady!" Starting at the scathing in their voices, I stood there for a second before the girl stood up and walked over. "I'm Yuna, nice to meet you," she said. I smiled and relaxed. "I'm Sofia, and the pleasure is all mine," I replied, stretching out my hand. We shook and I said "Sorry about before, by the way. I guess breaking the temple rules is actually a _very _big thing."

Yuna laughed a little and said "Don't worry, Tidus just apologized as well. It was that I was too sure of myself." Glad that all was well, I said "I had never seen anything like that aeon before. How did you do it?" "Well, it takes a lot of training to become a summoner. That was the first time I had ever summoned an aeon, actually," Yuna admitted. I raised both eyebrows at this and remarked "Well for your first time, that was a pretty decent job."

She nodded her thanks and thought about something for a moment before asking "Aren't you going with Wakka and the others to be in the blitzball tournament?" I nodded. "Then we'll be leaving on the same boat tomorrow!" she said. I blinked in surprise, before smiling. "Great! We can talk more on the way. You seem like you would be a good friend." She nodded, but then the little girl said "Lady Yuna, can you play with me some more?" Yuna looked down at her and nodded, and I said "Well, I guess I should be going then. See you tomorrow morning!"

Yuna waved goodbye and turned to play with the girl. I smiled; maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

xxx

Well, now save for Auron, everyone in the main cast has made an appearance, with the pilgrimage soon to begin!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 7 Departing

I laid down in a bed in the Crusader's lodge and fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow. My sleep was far from peaceful though, courtesy of a nightmare.

_I was in a place that I didn't recognize, we seemed to floating on a huge sword while the air beyond that seemed to be composed of a multicolored mist. We were all there; me, Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Rikku, even my teacher Deiru and some guy in red I didn't know. There was a floating ball of black, red and white that flew around us, and I could tell that it was the source of a great evil._

_ Then Yuna stepped forward, and called forth the aeon that I had seen her summon earlier today, the aeon Valefor. The instant she was summoned however, the floating sphere came down... and entered Valefor's body. It changed color to mainly green, purple and black with red eyes. It couldn't be the gentle creature I had seen before. Now it was a monster, possessed by evil._

_ I didn't understand what was going on, but my body raised it hands and wrapped them around the handle of Selini. The others readied there respective weapons and, as one, we charged forward to attack the aeon._

That was when I woke up, yelling "NO!" and I heard a voice outside say "He's dead alright? Dead!" Considering the dream I just had, I got out of bed and began walking toward the flap of the tent, and Tidus got up, his face sweaty and his hair disheveled as well. "Bad dream?" I asked. He nodded, and we both stopped talking and pulled open the flap enough to see what was happening.

Wakka was standing by the fire, talking to the female guardian, Lulu. "He does look a lot like Chappu. I was surprised too, the first time I saw him," Lulu said. "But no matter what he looks like, he isn't Chappu!" She sighed. "You shouldn't have brought him here in the first place! Him or the girl!" "Yeah but, they needed our help," Wakka responded. "Excuses again?" Lulu asked. "Yeah, but..." Wakka said, losing the fight. "That it. No more. Enough, Wakka!" Lulu said before turning around and hurrying off. Wakka stood there for a moment longer, before turning and walking back to the tent.

Tidus and I saw this and closed the flap. Wakka stepped through and started when he saw the both of us standing there. "Scary!" Tidus said, and I couldn't help but agree. "So who's Chappu?" I asked. Wakka was silent for a moment and walked over to sit on the edge of one of the beds. Tidus and I sat on the edge of the bed facing him. "My little brother, Chappu. He looked a lot like you," he said, looking at Tidus. "He's dead?" I asked. He nodded. "He was with the Crusaders when they fought Sin last year. He didn't make it. I first heard on the day of the tournament."

"Oh, so that's why," Tidus said. Wakka nodded. "I became a to fight Sin, yeah?" "Revenge, then?" Tidus inquired. "That was the idea. But now I'm more worried about a stupid game than avenging my brother. Well, after the tournament, I'll be a guardian full-time. I know it looks like I'm using you guys, but I'm not," Wakka said guiltily. "Don't worry about it. I mean, you've helped Sofia and I lot. So, um..." Tidus trailed. "What we're trying to say is: Thanks Wakka," I finished. Tidus nodded, and we both stuck out our hands.

Wakka looked at them both and raised his hand a little, before his face turned red and he rubbed the back of his head. "Stop, you're embarrassing me," he said bashfully. Tidus smiled, and I laughed a little before saying "Well, we're waking up early tomorrow morning. We might as well get some sleep," I said. The others nodded in agreement, and Wakka went to leave the tent while Tidus and I went to our beds. We all exchanged "Good night,"s before I laid down and fell asleep.

xxx

This time around my sleep was peaceful, and when I woke up sun was streaming through a window. I yawned and stretched, then I went got out of bed and walked to a cornered curtain that the Crusaders used as a changing room. "Hurriedly I got out of my clothes from last night and put on a new pair. I kept on my black leather trench coat, but underneath I wore a pair of black drawstring pants I had bought from the village weavers and a bright red t-shirt. I but on a black belt I had also bought and hung Selini to my right side, its silver sheath catching the light and glinting.

Once I properly laced up my boots, I was satisfied with my appearance and walked outside. Wakka was standing there talking with Lulu, and I said "Morning sleepyheads. Why are we waiting here?" I asked. "We're gonna wait for Tidus and Yuna," Wakka explained. I nodded, and noticed that Wakka was carrying a sword. It was about a little longer than my legs, and its blade was an aquamarine that seemed to shimmer in the light. "What's with the sword?" I asked.

"It's called Brotherhood, and I'm giving it to Tidus," he explained. Nodding, we fell into a silence, waiting for the two of them to wake up. About an hour passed in silence, but it didn't bother me. One of the effects of waiting in a long-ass line during school was learning to be patient. Eventually the flap of the Crusaders' tent flipped open and Tidus walked out. "Hey, sleepyhead! There's something I want to give you," Wakka said, holding up Brotherhood.

"Whoa! You giving this... to me?" Tidus asked. "Yeah, use it well," he replied. Tidus took the sword and held it in both hands, giving it a single swing to test it's weight. "That's the sword you gave Chappu," Lulu said. "Well, he never used it," Wakka said. "Where's Yuna?" "We're taking the same boat as Yuna, right? We do we have to wait here?" Tidus asked. "Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started."

"The Calm?" I asked, but he continued. "Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent... she became an apprentice." "This is our journey. We should leave together," Lulu stated. At that moment Yuna walked out of the temple with a huge luggage case. Lulu saw it and said "You really don't need all that luggage." "Ah, they're not really my things. They're gifts for the temples we're to visit," she admitted.

"This isn't a vacation Yuna," Wakka said. "I guess... I guess you're right," Yuna said, and she walked to us, leaving the case behind. "Okay! Off we go!" Wakka called. He, Lulu and Tidus began walking, but I stopped when I saw Yuna wasn't going. She turned back to face the village and made the sign of prayer, taking a good look at the village before following. Perplexed, I shrugged it off and followed.

As we walked a fiend jumped in front of us, one that resembled a rabid dog. "Hey!" Wakka called to Tidus. "Why don't you try out that sword I gave you?" Tidus nodded and jumped forward. It jumped back from the attack and took a swipe with its claws, but Tidus blocked it responded with a cut of his own. The monster faded into a haze of lights. "No problem!" Tidus said. "Not too bad, you kept up with him pretty well. Might make a good guardian someday."

Then a fiend similar to a bird showed up. "A flyer! My kind of customer!" Wakka said. He threw his ball at the bird, and it went down easily. With that little episode down, we walked farther up the path until a third fiend showed. This one was blue and seemed to be composed of gel. "That... looks like trouble," Wakka said. "Heh, watch this!" Tidus explained. He took a swipe at the blue fiend, but the minute he made a cut it just flowed back together. "What the-?" Tidus asked.

"Told you. Only magic can beat that thing! If you can't beat it down, you gotta use an magic of an element they don't like," Wakka explained. I blinked in surprise; since when was there magic. Tidus reflected my thoughts, because he said "Magic? Element?" "Let's have our black mage show you what I mean. Lu, you're up!" Wakka called. Lulu stepped forward. "Clueless aren't you? Allow me," she said.

"There are four elements in magic: fire, ice, lightning and water. Spells of ice work well against fire fiends, and fiends of ice are weak against fire spells. You follow?" Lulu asked. "I get fire and ice, but what about lightning and water?" Tidus inquired. "Lighting and water are opposed, just like fire and ice. This one is a water fiend, which means..." She raised her hand above her head and then brought it down. A bolt of electricity shot down on the blue fiend, and it slumped on the ground before fading away.

With that third fiend gone there were no more on the path upwards to bother us, and we made it to the top without any trouble. Yuna looked over the edge of the cliff to see Besaid Village. "Take your time," Lulu said softly. "Let's get going man!" Tidus said, but Wakka told him "We're gonna wait." A few moments later Yuna walked between them, and Wakka hesitantly asked "Are... you ready?" She nodded, and she, Wakka and Lulu began walking again.

Tidus looked at me and asked "Do you know what's going on?" I shook my head and shrugged. The group had stopped in front of a stone statue, where Wakka was praying. "It's an ancient custom. People who leave the island pray here for a safe trip. Chappu didn't pray that day. Said he'd miss his boat," he explained. Tidus stood there, but considering that Chappu hadn't prayed and hadn't come back, I decided to play it safe. So I got on my knees and prayed with Wakka.

We were there for a few more seconds until Wakka said "That should do it!" and stood up. We followed, and along the path we ran into a huge fiend with wings. "A flyer, that's your department right?" Tidus asked. "True, true, but uh... Why don't we let our summoner show us what's she's made of?" Wakka suggested. I couldn't blame him for being reluctant, the thing was huge. Yuna stepped forward and held up her staff.

"Your first real battle! Let's see some style!" Wakka encouraged. "Show us what you're training has taught you, Yuna," Lulu said. "Okay," Yuna said. Then she took a deep breath before moving to the pose and summoning Valefor. The clouds parted and the aeon flew down from the sky to land on the ground. Yuna gave it a gentle pet before it took to the air again. The fiend tried to fly forward and bite it, but Valefor dodged it and sent it back with a flap of its wings.

Before it could recoup Valefor cast a Thunder spell and the fiend trembled as electricity coursed through its body. Then the aeon flew forward and raked it with its claws on its feet. The monster screeched and flapped it wings, creating a gust of wind that buffeted Valefor and sent it back. Then the fiend flew forward and bit it on the wing. Valefor screeched and cast a Fire spell, and the fiend suddenly burst into flame.

With it was trying to extinguish itself, Valefor flew up and opened its beak. A light glowed it in mouth, and it fired a beam along the ground, leaving a glowing trail. Then the was series of explosions along, the trail, and the fiend was caught in the blast, felling it instantly. Valefor turned and looked at us, before flying up and away. I turned to Yuna and said "That was one cool battle." She smiled, but before any one else could say anything another one appeared.

"Another fiend?! Yuna, we might need you to summon again!" Wakka called. But then I shook my head and stepped forward, drawing Selini. "Actually, why don't you let me!" I called, jumping forward and bringing my sword down. I guess the fiend was too surprised to move, because it stayed still long enough for me to give it a long cut across its breast.

It screeched and tried to bite me, but I ran to the side and swung again, wiving it a cut on its right wing. It flapped its wings and tried to buffet me with a wind, but it stuck Selini in the ground and used it to pole vault myself into the air, pulling my sword back out as I flew up. As I reached the height of my jump I turned Selini in my hands so it was facing downward, and I fell straight towards the fiend. Even though I hadn't meant it to, I had jumped so that when the fiend looked at me the light from the sun got in its eyes.

Momentarily blinded, the fiend didn't try to dodge, and as I fell I landed on its back and stabbed Selini into its back. It screamed in pain and flailed around to try on knock me off, but I held on fast and twisted my sword in its back. It writhed for a few more seconds before falling down to the ground and slumping over. I pulled Selini out and wiped the blood on it swings before I looked at the others and said "How was that?"

They were silent for a moment until Wakka said "I'll tell you one thing, you sure do know how to fight." Lulu nodded in agreement, and Tidus said "That was pretty impressive." Yuna stepped forward and said "I have never seen anyone who fought like that. Good job." I smiled. "Well, I had a good teacher," I told them, thinking of Deiru. After that we kept walking, heading for the boat to leave Besaid.

xxx

Well, the party has begun to leave Besaid, and we get to see everyone in battle for the first time!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 8 Disaster at Sea

While Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna kept on going to catch the boat to leave Besaid, Tidus and I were a bit slower and ended up falling behind. We were just passing a huge set of ruins when I heard a lion roar above us. We looked up to see the other of Yuna's guardians, Kimahri jumping down from the ruins to land in front of us. He was crouched low with his hands and feet on the ground. He punched a fist into the ground and stood up before roaring at us. We both took a step back in fear, and he drew a spear longer than his body.

The moment I saw that spear my fear dissipated. This guy wanted a fight; we'll give him a fight. I looked at Tidus and although I didn't speak, he knew what I was thinking and nodded. He drew Brotherhood while I unsheathed Selini. For a moment none of us moved, until Kimahri charged forward and swung his spear at me. I blocked the attack with my blade, but I could feel the power behind the attack, and I could tell those muscles Kimahri had weren't unused.

I responded with a slash to the chest, but he blocked the attack and tried to jab me in the ribs, but Tidus knocked the point of the spear away. I nodded my thanks and attacked his unprotected legs, but he crouched low and blocked the move with his armlet before hitting me in the chest with an uppercut. The wind was knocked out of me and I was sent up into the air before flying back and landing on the ground.

I groaned and shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs and picking myself back. Tidus was going full on against Kimahri, and they ended up with the weapons locked together. Now the two of them were pushing against each other, but Kimahri was both bigger and stronger, and I could see Tidus being slowly pushed back. Tightening my grip on Selini, I charged forward and swung at Kimahri's arm while he was locked in with Tidus.

He roared and shoved Tidus back just in time to block my strike. He pushed me back, and we stood there for a moment. This guy was strong, and he knew how to fight. Tidus and I had the advantage in numbers, but even together Kimahri was proving a challenge. Still, those numbers could help us pull out a victory. We both looked at each other and nodded, and we were about to charge forward when I heard someone call "That's enough!"

I looked over to see it was Wakka, standing with the others. Kimahri stopped and stood before turning to walk away. "What's his problem?" Tidus asked. "Kimahri Ronso, of the Ronso tribe. He's learned the fiend's way of fighting," Lulu explained. "That's not what I meant," Tidus asked. "He's another of Yuna's guardians," Wakka told him. Tidus still looked confused, and Yuna laughed. "Sometimes we don't understand him either. Kimahri doesn't talk much anyway."

I "hmph"ed and Yuna continued "But he had protected me ever since I was a child." I nodded; maybe that was why he attacked us. He didn't know who we were and possibly thought we would try to hurt Yuna, so he made to stop us. Satisfied with my own explanation, I continued with Tidus and the others until we reached the shore of Besaid.

A small congregation of people had arrived to see Yuna's departure, and once they saw her they all began tearing up. One of them approached me and said "We'll miss Lady Yuna. Please use this to keep her safe." He handed me a Potion, and for a second I couldn't think of anything to say, until I said "Thank you; I will," and put it in my pocket. The guy from the temple in the orange robes said "We are sad to see our lady summoner departing. Here, this is a gift from the temple." And he handed me a small bag full of coins, a total of 100 munny.

I stared at the munny, unable to believe it. They really must be going to miss Yuna. So, I smiled and performed the prayer of Yevon before bowing and saying "Thank you. I really appreciate it." I took the munny and placed it in my coat pocket, before turning and getting on the boat. The moment I did the horn sounded, the bridge was lifted, and the boat slowly began to leave the harbor.

People from the village crowded and the pier, some waving and smiling sadly, some of the kids flat out crying. Yuna stood by the edge of the ship to get a last look at them, and performed the prayer at all of them. "Goodbye," she said.

And the boat pulled went out to sea.

xxx

I walked across the deck of the ship, still getting used to the floor moving beneath my feet. Before he had disappeared, my father Alexander had taken me on a few fishing trips when we lived back in Alaska. I had never gotten what people called "sea legs" and before I could my father had indeed disappeared, and I went to live in the orphanage in San Francisco until about a year ago. Now I was really regretting not trying to gain my balance on those fishing trips. I could barely walk without falling.

I looked over to see Tidus slowly approaching a guy with binoculars. Then suddenly he jumped on top of his shoulders and said "Boo!" the guy grunted and spun around, trying to knock him off. Tidus kicked his legs up and did a hand stand on the guy's shoulders before jumping off, running over and snatching the binoculars away. He stood on the edge of the ship and looked around through the binoculars.

He looked at Wakka and then at Lulu, seeming to linger a moment until she looked at him, then at Kimahri, then me and finally Yuna. She walked across the deck of the ship until she realized Tidus was looking at her and she waved. Tidus waved back and the guy from before managed to take the binoculars back. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed a little guiltily before jumping off the edge off the edge on the ship and back on deck.

I smiled and shook my head; the guy was energetic to say the least. I placed my head on the edge of the rail and closed my eyes for a second to feel the wind on my face. It was cool and smelled of salt, which wasn't surprising since we were at sea. I could feel the sun on me, but I had left my coat below deck, leaving me in just red T-shirt on top, and I let my hair fall out down to my waist, so I couldn't complain about the heat. According to Wakka, we were heading for a village called Kilika to go see a temple, and then we would go to a city called Luca where the blitzball tournament would be held.

Eventually I was done enjoying the wind and walked around a little. Yuna was standing at the front of the ship with a small crowd around her, and as I passed by I heard a few word like "daughter of Lord Braska…" and "noble legacy". I stopped and looked back at the crowd. Since when had Yuna been of nobility? I walked over to Lulu and asked "Is Yuna famous for something besides being a summoner?" She raised an eyebrow at me, but explained "Her father is High Summoner Braska, the man who defeated Sin ten years ago.

"For that alone Yuna is already seen with reverence, and her becoming a summoner shall increase that so. She is the heir to great legacy, and she plans to carry that legacy as best she can." I nodded and "Okay, thanks for explaining." This made Lulu's eyebrow rise even higher, but she said nothing and I walked off. The crowd dispersed and Tidus moved forward to talk with Yuna.

Curious, I walked close enough to hear what they were saying, to a point, and I heard the two of them talking about someone called Jecht. From what I could perceive, he was Tidus's father, and he had died a long time ago. I felt sympathy rise up within me. So had had lost his father too, and from the looks of it he had lost him even earlier than I had. But I could detect a tone of anger in his voice, and I looked to see that when he said "Jecht," his lip curled in hatred. Did Tidus hate his father?

The two of them stopped talking, and I thought about that for a second. What would a father have to do to you in order to make you even hate his memory? My mother had died giving birth to me, and growing up my father had been the only person close to me I really had. I couldn't even begin to think of him doing anything to make me hate him. Before I could think much further down that bath, there was a crash, and the whole boat shook.

"Whoa!" I called, grabbing the edge of the ship for support as it tilted sharply to the side. I looked over to see that Tidus was holding Yuna's hand, but it was slipping. He ended up letting go, and for a second I thought that Yuna was going to go over the edge, until Kimahri jumped forward, balancing himself on the deck and caught her. I sighed in momentary relief and looked out to sea to see what had hit us.

A huge gray-blue fin shot out of the water, easily the size of a building. I had never seen a creature that huge before, and I was only looking at the fin. That could only mean that the fin belonged to one thing. A guy to my left yelled "Sin!" He ran over and grabbed a mounted harpoon gun, taking aim at the fin. "What are you doing?! Stick a harpoon in it, and we'll all be dragged under!" Wakka called. "Sin is going for Kilika! We've got to distract it!" one guy said, taking aim with the other harpoon. The one in front of us said "Our families are in Kilika! Forgive us, Lady Summoner!"

Yuna was silent for a moment before nodding. "Wait! Oh boy," Wakka said. The two guys at the harpoons took a second to take aim before firing. One of them missed, but the other connected and immediately pulled. The boat was towed like a cart by a horse, and buckets of water splashed onto the deck. Then I saw a trio of small projectiles fly toward us from Sin's fin, landing and imbedding themselves on the deck in front of us.

Then the things shuddered and began to unravel, revealing themselves to be the same Sinscales that had attacked San Francisco. I was shocked, and then a boiling anger filled me. These things came from Sin, and it was Sin that had taken me from my home and thrust me into this world. I hadn't asked for this, had never contemplated it, had never even thought of it, and yet it happened. Now these things were here again, and it was high time I got some payback.

Then a wave of them landed on the back of the ship and a few people began screaming. Yuna immediately looked back, a look of worry on her face. I did a quick count; there were a total of six of us. "Yuna!" I called. "We need to protect the people on the boat! You, Kimahri and Tidus guard the back of the boat while Wakka, Lulu and I take the front!" She looked at me for a moment, before she nodded and ran to the back with Tidus and Kimahri.

That left me with Wakka and Lulu, and while Wakka got out his ball and Lulu readied her spells, I had already unsheathed Selini and charged forward.

xxx

Uh-oh, now a real battle is about to start. How will things go, and can Sofia and company defeat the endless army of Sinscales?

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 9 Back-to-Back Battles

I charged forward, Selini in hand, against the trio of Sinscales aboard the ship. I slashed one sideways, flipped my sword over and cut another, and then stabbed another in the front. All three of the Sinscales were down, and now I looked at Sin's fin, intent on attacking. Before I could I heard something rush through the air, and three more Sinscales landed on deck. They opened and spread around me in complete circle around me so that when they attacked I wouldn't be able to hold off all of them.

They were still for a moment before jumping forward, and I braced myself for impact. Then I heard a smack of a ball and the crackle of electricity, and I opened my eyes to see that two of the fiends had fallen to the ground while the other stood in a daze. I killed it and looked back to see Wakka and Lulu standing there. "What, you think you can have all the fun?" Wakka asked.

I nodded my thanks and looked up to see a third set of Sinscales land on the ship. "How many of these are there?" I asked. "The fin! That's where they're coming from!" Lulu said. I looked to at the fin out in the water and saw that it was too far away. "We'll never be able to hit that thing!" I called. Wakka smirked at me and said "Oh really?" Then he pulled his arm back and threw his blitzball at the fin. It sailed threw the air, and I could almost hear the impact over the sound of the fiends and the waves. Then I saw it arc back through the air, and Wakka caught it with one hand.

"You take care of the little ones here, Lu and I'll deal with the fin!" Wakka said. I nodded, and began attacking the next trio of Sinscales. One of them skittered forward and tried to bite me, but I hit it with the butt of my sword and kicked it over the edge of the ship. Then I spun around and slashed the second fiend before bringing Selini down in an overhead on the last one.

The trio of Sinscales dissolved into light only to be replaced by yet another group of scales. Frowning in annoyance, I killed them all just as easily as the last pair, only they were replaced by yet _another _group of scales. Grunting, I looked over at Wakka and asked "How are things going with that fin?" He threw his ball at it again and said "Not so well. All the hits we're giving it aren't taking any effect!" I looked to see that Wakka was right; the fin looked the same as ever.

I groaned in mildly contained frustration, and at that moment not just three but a total of six Sinscales landed on the ground. Looking at them I charged forward and yelled before jumping up and spinning around, using my Whirlwind Blade. All six of them fell before the vicious attack only to be yet again replaced by a trio of scales.

For the next ten minutes I fought against the seemingly endless army of Sinscales, and Wakka and Lulu kept trying to deal any damage to the fin. However, as time passed I began to tire, and when I looked back I saw Wakka panting heavily whenever he threw his ball. Lulu didn't look exhausted, by I saw her eyes widened and she her spells seem to be getting weaker.

_We can't last much longer like this,_ I thought. _We need something big, big enough to do some real damage to that fin. But something that big would have to be really powerful, almost as strong as an... as an... _Then it hit me, almost with the force of a train, and I had to wonder why I hadn't thought of it before. "Wakka, Lulu, you two stop going after the fin and worry about the scales! I've got an idea!" I called. They nodded, and I ran across the ship to where there were Tidus, Yuna and Kimahri.

The three of them didn't seem to be doing much better, and while Yuna constantly healed Tidus and Kimahri, they were both panting with exhaustion. "Yuna!" I called, and she looked at me. "I've got an idea and how to defeat that fin, but I need you to come with me!" She hesitated a moment before nodding, and she ran back across the ship with me.

"Both of you get back!" I told Wakka and Lulu. They did, and I led to the center of the deck before running to side and saying "Now summon Valefor!" She looked at, confused, and I said "Trust me!" She nodded, and moved into the pose of summoning her first aeon. A circle of light glowed around her and four beams shot into the sky. The met inside the clouds, which parted and the aeon Valefor soared down to land on the deck.

Yuna gave it a small pet before it rose back up on its wings, and she looked at to ask "Now what do I do?" I quickly recalled what I had learned about aeons before they left the island, and I called "Have it use its signature move!" She blinked in surprise before she smiled in understanding and turned to the aeon. "Valefor, please use your ultimate power!" It nodded and climbed higher into the skies before it opened its beak. A bright light glowed within, and Valefor pulled its head back before lunging toward the fin and firing its Energy Ray.

A beam of light landed straight on the fin and created a glowing trail, and a chain of explosions detonated across the fin. For a moment nothing happened, and their I heard Sin itself groan and swim forward. The ship actually rose out of the water for a second before harpoon attached to the ship snapped off and landed back on the water with a splash that sent a wave across the deck.

All was silent on the boat, and I smiled in victory as Kimahri walked back to the front of the ship. But Tidus hadn't, and both Wakka and I picked up on that fact. I looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. He must have been swept off the boat! I ran over to the edge and dove into the water, Wakka beside me. Underwater Tidus was floating without moving, and I saw yet more Sinscales, these ones in fish form, attacking him.

Wakka threw his ball and it hit one scales before bouncing and hitting the others, sending them swimming away. I swam forward and stopped next to Tidus, where I took a Phoenix Down tossed it above him. It flashed in a bright light, and Tidus was surrounded in light before his eyes snapped open and he jerked upright. He looked at me and I nodded, but at that moment a pair of dolphins swan by us, trying to get away from something.

I looked to see a huge fiend rise out of the depths. It had four long gray tentacles and a purple head, with a pair of red eyes and a huge red maw. Two Sinscales were on either side. I frowned and tightened my grip on Selini, while Tidus pulled out Brotherhood and Wakka got his ball. Two of the scales shot forward like missiles, and while I was able to dodge one the other nicked me in the side. I glared at the huge fiend and gathered my strength before I threw Selini at it.

The water took a lot of force out of my blow, my sword successfully lodge itself in the fiend's right eye. It writhed in pain and swung its tentacles around, accidentally killing the other two scales in the process. I swam forward, dodging the tentacles and took firm hold of Selini. The monster thrashed around, and I _twisted _the blade inside the wound. It thrashed around harder, but I held on, not giving the beast any degree of mercy.

Eventually a tentacle swung up and was about to knock me aside, but I quickly pulled Selini out and pushed against the head, propelling me back and out of the tentacle's path. It glared at me, but before it could attack Wakka threw his ball at it and it eyes were suddenly covered by clouds of darkness. It hissed like a crab and tried to swung at where Wakka, but it missed by a huge amount.

I looked over and him and nodded my thanks; having the fiend blinded would help things out by a huge amount. Tidus swam forward and gave it a cut on its face, and it tried to hit him but it missed again. I smiled and swam in to cut off one of its tentacles, but at that moment four more Sinscales appeared and two of them shot toward me.

They both hit on the side, and it ripped the side of my shirt and gave me a pair of cuts. They weren't deep, but they did sting something fierce, and I glared at the fiend in rage. I swan toward one of its tentacles and swung savagely, cutting it off. Although the sound was distorted by the water, the fiend screeched in pain and swan back. It spun its remaining three tentacles and the stump of its fourth one in a circle, creating a swirling whirlpool that enveloped Tidus, Wakka and I and tossed us around threw the air.

When it stopped I was severely disoriented, and the clouds in front of the fiend's eye s were gone. It didn't know which one of us cut its tentacle, so it glared at all of us. It swung a tentacle at each of us, and while Tidus were able to block with it with our swords, Wakka was hit full on the chest. He was sent a few feet back in the water, and I looked at him, concerned. He gave me a thumbs up, and I nodded before turning back to the fiend.

It tried to take a swing at Tidus, but he pedaled back and then swan forward, spiraling threw the water and hitting it with a Spiral Cut. It glared at him and tried to hit him again, but then Wakka used Dark Attack a second time, blinding it. It hissed and decided that while it was blind the best way to hit us was by flailing its tentacles around.

I dodged one as it came towards me, only to have to swim out of the path of another. Frowning in annoyance, I purposefully swam next to the path of a tentacle and held Selini out, and as the tentacle came down it was sliced clean off. The fiend once again screeched in pain and rage, and another four Sinscales fired towards me. I managed to dodge them all, but then one of the last two tentacles hit me in the side and knocked me away through the water.

Tidus looked back at me before swimming forward and trying to cut off the third tentacle, but the clouds in front of the fiend's eyes cleared once again and it blocked the attack. Wakka was about to hit it with a third Dark Attack, but this time it anticipated the move. As Wakka threw the ball toward the fiend it blocked the ball and sent it back toward him, hitting him the stomach and blinding him instead.

Knowing that Wakka was out of commission for a moment, I looked at Tidus and told him to come next to me. He did, and I waved to catch the fiend attention, where once I had it I held my hand up and gave it a very rude gesture involving one of my fingers. It didn't know what the gesture meant, but it understood the point behind it enough to screech in outrage and use another Blender attack.

The whirlpool of water captured me and Tidus again and sent us around in the water. When it cleared I was once again thrown off-balance, but this time I wasn't given the chance to recover. The fiend kept on me, swinging with either one of its tentacles. I managed to fend off the assault, but with my still being off-balance that was all I could do.

Then Tidus came up from behind and gave a wide cut on the back of its head, and it stopped to look back at him. This gave me the opportunity to regain my sense of balance and strike back, cutting off the third of its tentacles. It turned back around to attack me, but Tidus hit it again it turned around yet again. We kept up this tactic, effectively keeping it from attacking without leaving itself open to attack, until Wakka was able to see again and threw his blitzball.

The fiend turned to look at him, and that gave Tidus and I the chance to cut off its last tentacle. Without anyway to attack it screeched in anguish, and the three of us silently agreed to put it out of its misery. I swan forward and used Whirlwind Blade to give the fiend a total of seven more gashes to the face before Tidus used Spiral Cut to knock it farther back into the water. Then Wakka's ball crackled with electricity and he kicks it to hit the fiend straight in the face.

It shuddered for a second before exploding and turning to an orb of bright energy. The orb shrunk smaller and smaller until it exploded into a burst of fireflies.

xxx

Whew, two boss fights down and out, and one my favorite parts of the game is soon to come!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch. 10

After Tidus, Wakka and I had defeated the underwater fiend, we went back up to the surface and climbed onto the boat. I had hoped that our having injured its fin and killed its friend would have convinced Sin to turn away from Kilika, but my hopes were in vain. Instead, I was treated to a personal view of Sin's attack on the village.

The village of Kilika was quiet, peaceful, and unaware of the impending doom. With frightening speed, a massive tidal wave approached them. A couple of children playing with a blitzball didn't notice it, until the wave grew so high that it blocked the light from the sun. They looked up at it, and the other villagers did too. They tried to run away, but in seconds the wave hit. The entire village was swiftly engulfed in water. The force of the winds caused wooden houses to snap apart.

Above Sin rose a swirling cyclone of wood, rubble, and dead humans. More waves spread outward, until it finally stopped, and Sin turned to swim away. The decimated village was peaceful once again, but in the water a lone blitzball floated along the surface...

We all stood on the deck of the ship, taking in the destruction left on Kilika. Yuna looked ahead, her expression both determined and saddened. "I will defeat Sin… I must defeat Sin," she declared. I looked at her, both in sadness and in pity. The summoners were charged with defeating Sin, that way Spira could be at peace. They carried the weight of the world on their shoulders. I liked to consider Yuna a friend, and when I thought of the difficulty she faced, an idea began to form in my mind.

_No… there's no way that would be possible. And even if I did ask, there's no way she would say yes_, I thought to myself. I shook my head. This was hardly the time to ask such a thing. Maybe later, if I ever plucked up the courage I would ask, I would. Still it refused to leave my mind, enough to the point that I started with surprise when bumped into Kilika harbor.

Swiftly the gangplank was lowered, and we all filed off. A pair of old villagers came to us and Yuna walked over to them. "Greetings, I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the isle of Besaid," she said. The old woman sighed. "M'lady summoner," she said. "If there is no other summoner present, please allow me to perform the sending," Yuna asked them. "Oh, thanks be to ye!" the old man said, and the woman added "Our loved one, we feared they would become fiends!" Take me to them," Yuna said.

They walked off, along with Lulu and Kimahri, but Wakka turned to look at me and Tidus. "We go see what we can do to help in town," he said, before he and the rest of the Aurochs ran off. I looked over at Tidus and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to help them?" I asked. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Actually, I want to see this sending thing. To be honest, I have no idea what it is," he admitted. I nodded in agreement, and we walked farther into the village.

We walk onto several people clustered around the edge of the pathway, with a set of stairs leading down to path the stretched to the water. Yuna was talking to the old man, and Tidus walked up to Lulu. "What's a 'sending'?" he asked. "Are we going somewhere?" She was silent a moment before sighing and looking at him. "You truly are clueless. Are you sure it's your memory that's the problem?" she asked. I raised an eyebrow at her rudeness, but she already looked back to the water and began explaining.

"The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to accept their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turn to anger, even hate." Lulu looked back at us. "Should they souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it?" she asked. I nodded. "The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they rest in peace."

"Summoners do this?" Tidus asked, and she nodded. I looked over to see that Yuna was done talking to the old man, and she had begun walking toward the water. "Hey," I said, and they looked at me before noticing what I was looking at and looked at Yuna. She stepped onto the water, and to my amazement her foot didn't sink, and she took another one. She was _walking on water_.

She stopped a short distance out, and I could see a number of caskets beneath the water. A sudden impulse came over me, and without even thinking I began to sing. In my head I was thinking "_Singing?! What the F am I doing?!_" but I still did it, and the song as I was singing was the Hymn of the Fayth. "Ieyui…" Yuna began dancing, turning in a circle and spinning her staff above and around her body. "Nobomeno…"

A woman to my right began crying miserably. "Renmiri… Yojuyogo…" She raised her staff above her head and lowered it to her knees, bowing and taking a step back. Then suddenly, the some of the other villagers joined me. "_Ieyui…_" Pyreflies began to rise from the caskets, rising up through the water, drawn to Yuna as she spun her staff like in a circle.

"_Nobomeno…_" The flames in lanterns around us turned blue, and Tidus and I looked in surprise. "_Renmiri… Yojuyogo…_" The water beneath Yuna erupted into a pillar that rose into the air, Yuna still dancing on top of it. She spun completely around with her staff held high before she brought it back down to almost touch the water. "_Hasatekanae…_" I looked over at Tidus to see he was staring intently at the spectacle. "_Kutamae…_"

The woman from before fell to her knees, filled with grief. "_Hasatekanae…_" Yuna spun again, her hair fanning out around her. "_Kutamae…_" I finished singing, and Yuna stopped dancing with her staff pointed down. The pillar of water slowly lowered, until she stood on the surface, and the pryeflies faded from existence, from this world to the Farplane beyond.

Yuna went over to talk to the elderly villagers. "It must be tough, being a summoner," Tidus commented. "Yuna chose her own path. She knew, from the beginning, what it meant. All we can do is keep her safe. Until the end," Lulu said. "Until the… end? What's the end?" Tidus asked. The villagers all turned to stare at him, and I blinked in surprise. What had he said? Lulu sighed and held up her hands in exasperation. She walked to Yuna, saying "Until she defeats Sin." Yuna walked over to Lulu and said "I hope… I did okay." Lulu put her arms around her. "You did very well. They'll have reached the Farplane by now. But… no tears next time, hmm?"

It was then that I made a decision. Summoners truly were the most selfless of people. They dedicated their lives to the people of Spira, and their ultimate goal was to defeat the indomitable Sin. They made sure the fallen would be able to rest in peace, and they all did it without any kind of expected reward. But while they traveled they would need someone to protect them.

They would need a guardian.

xxx

After the sending had taken place, we all retired to a village inn. Each of us had been given a different room free of charge, thanks from the villagers for sending their loved ones to the Farplane. However, I wasn't able to sleep. Ever since I had made m choose after the sending, I had been unable to calm my mind. What would Yuna say? Would she say yes, or would she reject me?

Eventually I groaned in frustration and got out of bed. I had heard of there being a jungle nearby with a good number of fiends. That good be a good place for me to blow off steam. Strapping Selini back to my side, I walked down the steps of the inn and out the door. At might the sky in Kilika played host to a sea of stars, and for a moment I was actually enraptured by them until I snapped out of my thoughts and pressed onward.

I walked past the area where the sending had taken place, and just when I reached the edge of the village I saw Yuna sitting on the edge of a pier, swinging her feet over the edge. "Yuna!" I called. She looked back me, surprised, but then she smiled and said "Sofia!" I smiled as well and walked over. "Couldn't sleep?" I asked. She nodded, and I sat down beside her. "I couldn't either. The wreckage from the attack was kind of shocking." Yuna's smiled faded, and she said "Yes, the attacks on villages like that Sin commits, they're horrifying."

Despite the grim subject, I had to ask "Yuna, we're friends, right?" She nodded, looking out to sea. I sighed; now was the time to ask her. It was now or never. "I have something I want to ask you," I said. She looked at me and asked "What is it?" "This is the kind of destruction that Sin always brings on villages in Spira. Summoners are the ones charged with defeating it, aren't they?" "They are," she replied.

"Yet, despite the impossibility of the task, they still go through with it. And they succeed, don't they? Like your father for example." Yuna nodded again, and I continued. "But they were never able to do it alone, were they? Even your father, they always had guardians there. To keep them safe, right?" For the third time Yuna nodded, and I took a deep breath before sighing. "Yuna… what I want to ask is, after the whole thing with Wakka, and the blitzball tournament… I would like… to be your guardian." I looked at her. "Would that be okay?"

She blinked and made a minor gasp of surprise, and despite how fearless I was on the battlefield I instantly worried if I had gone too far. "You don't have to say 'yes' if you don't want to," I hastily added. She was silent for a while, and I waited, tied between relief that she hadn't said "no" and anxiousness that she hadn't said "yes".

Eventually she took a deep breath, and looked at me with both of her yes, one blue and one green. "I honestly cannot answer that now. The only guardians I've ever had were Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri. To accept having a brand new one, even if it a friend, is something that requires some thought," she told me. I nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to make a decision now. This can wait for a moment if you need some time. You don't have to tell me until after the tournament."

She nodded. "I will give the matter some thought," she promised. I smiled and said "Thank you." We were silent for a moment, before I stood up and dusted my jeans off. "Well, I think I'd best be turning in to bed. Good night Yuna," I said. She looked back at me and said "Goodnight Sofia," before turning to look across the night sea.

I walked back to the inn where we were staying and climbed the steps to a set of rooms. Walking into my room, I unstrapped Selini and set it against the nightstand next to the bed and took off my coat and dress shoes, leaving me in my jeans, shirt and socks. I climbed into bed, but one last thought remained in my mind. Would Yuna accept my request?

Then sleep over came, and I drifted off into its depths.

xxx

Well, now we know the decision Sofia has chosen to make. But will Yuna let her become a guardian? And what else will occur? Read to find out!

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.11 Yuna's Answer

I awoke to the sound of the waves, and for a minute I let myself stay there. The sound of the waves was relaxing, so soothing, yet in the waves stayed the powerful Sin- Sin! My eyes snapped open and I bolted right up. That's right, we were in Kilika, the village that Sin had attacked just yesterday. And after seeing it and watching Yuna perform the sending, I had asked her if I could become her guardian.

I looked around to see that I was still in the room of the inn we were at, but when I looked at the window I saw sunlight streaming through. Just how long had I been asleep? I swung off feet off the bed and stood. I kept my usual leather trench coat, but changed into a blue T-shirt and jeans with my boots. I strapped Selini back to my side, and walked down the stairs to the first floor.

When I reached the bottom I saw Tidus walking out the door, and I asked the clerk "Where's he going?" She smiled at me. "Good, you're awake. That young man just left to go help his friends, the left a little earlier." I thanked her for the information before heading out as well. I walked along the pathways until I came across the Aurochs helping repair a ship while Tidus and Wakka watched. Wakka saw me coming and smiled.

"There you are, we were waiting for you," he said. He turned to the ship and called "Besaid Aurochs, huddle!" They all stopped working on the ship and jumped onto the path. "On to the temple, where we pray for victory!" The Aurochs cheered and ran off, heading for the temple. "High Summoner Ohalland used to live in the Kilika temple there. Yeah, Lord Ohalland was once a great blitzball player you know?" I considered that. "Someone who was both a summoner and a blitzball player. Interesting enough," I said.

"Wakka..." Tidus began. He looked at him, and he asked "Praying for victory's all good but... is this right?" I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with enjoying blitzball?" I asked. "Is this really the time?" he asked. "This is the only time. Players fight with all their strength, the fans cheer for their favorite team. They forget pain, suffering... only the game matters. That's why blitz has been around so long. At least that's what I think."

I thought about it and asked "So people enjoy blitzball because it helps them to forget about life with Sin?" He nodded. "Whatever you say," Tidus said. Wakka put a hand on both our shoulders. "Let's play... and win! Right?" he said. Tidus nodded and called "Right!" I shrugged off his hand, but said "Let's do it." Wakka nodded and pointed to the jungle. "The temple's beyond the jungle there. Let's go!"

So we walked through the village and to the jungle, but at the beginning of it were Yuna, Lulu and Kimahri. "What's up?" Wakka asked. "Yuna's saying she wants you two with us," Lulu told him. He looked confused, and Yuna walked towards us. "I would like to ask you to become my guardian." I gasped, and did so again when she added "_Both _of you." Wakka walked to her. "Yuna, what are you saying? This is no time for jokes, ya? Their both blitzball whiz kids, but up against fiend, their newbies."

Yuna looked at him. "Not guardians then, I just want them nearby." Wakka's expression turned more confused, with surprise mixed in. I glared at him. "A newbie, huh? Then how about this: The next time some big fiend shows up and if I help defeat it, then after the tournament you let me become a guardian," I proposed. He considered this for a moment, before saying "All right, I just hope we don't run into a huge fiend at all. I want a quiet walk to the temple."

Tidus still looked shocked at Yuna's request, and he said "What? What do you mean?" Yuna looked at him. "It's just that, well..." Then Lulu stepped forward and said "We're all going to the temple anyway. Can't this wait until later." Yuna and I both nodded, and Yuna said to Tidus "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." Tidus shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for, I just don't know what's going on." Her expression became blank, and she said "My apologies.

Tidus looked surprised, and I shook my head. "Clueless," I muttered. He must have heard me, because he turned to me and said "What? How I am clueless?" I looked at him. "You have to ask, then you don't need to know," I replied. He looked even more confused, but then Kimahri stepped forward. He waved his arm and motioned that we need to get going, and we did. We walked a little while farther, until I saw a huge red plant-like fiend at the end of the road, along with Luzzu and Gatta.

They saw us and ran towards us, Gatta saying "Company halt!" Luzzu pointed behind him. "The fiend before us is Ochu, Lord of the Wood. We've had trouble with this fiend before. Remember, discretion is the better part of valor," he advised, before they ran off. I looked at the others. "Do you want to fight that thing, or should we try and find another way around?" The other thought about it, until Wakka said "Actually, I think there are multiple paths through the forest. Problem being, only one leads to the temple, and it connects to this one."

"So if we want to get to the temple, we have to fight it?" Tidus asked with reluctance. When Lulu nodded, he groaned and hung his head. Yuna giggled a little, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I unsheathed Selini and said "Well, it's asleep right now. We might as well get the jump on it!" Wakka nodded and aimed his blitzball while Tidus got out his sword, Lulu her doll, Yuna her staff, and Kimahri got out his spear. Tidus, Kimahri and I charged forward while Wakka threw his ball. It hit dead on and woke the Ochu up, but before it could attack Tidus and slashed it with our swords while Kimahri stabbed it with his spear.

It hissed and swiped a claw at me, but Lulu hit it with a Fire spell and it turned its attention to her. Just before it attacked Yuna cast NulWater, and the Ochu cast Water. The two spells hit each other and canceled the other out. Ochu hissed in annoyance and tried to cast it again, but Wakka hit it with Silence Attack and it was unable to use spells completely. Now it was starting to get irritated, and it swung at Wakka with it claws. He tried to dodge but failed, and the Ochu's claws raked across its arms.

I ran over and asked "Are you okay?" He shook his head. "I think that fiend's claws had poison in them," he told me, before he fell to one knee. "Yuna!" I called. She looked at me. "Wakka needs help! Use your magic o patch him up while we keep the fiend distracted!" She nodded and ran over, while I ran to the Ochu. "Here's some payback!" I called, jumping up and using Whirlwind Blade. The fiend reeled back from the ferocious assault before it knocked me back and fell asleep.

For a second I was confused, until I saw some of the gashes I had just left close up and heal. "It's healing itself! Wake it up!" I told the others. Tidus stabbed it with Brotherhood and Wakka threw his ball, but neither of those hits did anything to wake it up. "Regular hits aren't working!" Tidus called. Lulu stepped forward and said "Then allow me." She raised her hand above her head, then brought it down, and a ball of fire shot toward the Ochu. The Fire spell hit it dead-on, and Ochu awoke with a scream of rage.

It jumped up and landed back on the ground, which quaked and fissures appeared all around us. Pieces of the ground pushed up to slam into all of us beneath our feet, sending us into the air to crash back down. When I landed on the ground I heard something _snap_, and my left arm was bent at an odd angle. "Sofia!" Yuna called, running over. "Are you alright?" she asked. "My arm's broken," I told her. She looked at it before stepping back and swinging her staff.

A white light glittered around me, and I fell the bone in my arm snap back into place. I stretched it and made a fist; it was no longer broken. "Thank you," I told her. She nodded and said "I'll go help the others," before running off. Lulu had managed to make it to her feet, but she was breathing heavily. I handed her a Potion and said "Here, take this." She took a quick gulp and her breathing even out. She nodded her thanks before handing it back to me. "That fiend is proving a challenge," she told me.

I nodded in agreement, before slowly smiling and saying "Well we know one thing." She raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "And what exactly might that be?" My smile widened. Tidus, Wakka and Kimahri were keeping the Ochu busy, so we had time to go through with my idea. "Just how many Fire spells can you cast in one go?" I asked. She blinked in surprise and said "My ultimate spell if Fury, which allows me to cast several of one spell in a single attack."

I nodded happily. "That will be perfect. Use that hit it with as many Fire spells as you can!" She hesitated for a moment before nodding and closing her eyes raising her arm above her head.. I ran back to the Ochu and yelled "Hey, Plant Boy!" It turned to look at me, and I darted to the side just as Lulu opened her eyes and lowered her arms, saying one word: "Burn." Immediately the Ochu burst into flames, and did so again and again.

The Fury spell lasted about nine times, and when it ended the Ochu was staggering about, severely burnt. "Everyone, use your finishing moves to put an end to this!" I called. Tidus nodded and flipped across the ground to the Ochu, where he jumped up and used Spiral Cut. Kimahri used his spear to launch himself into the ground before he landed down and slammed his spear into the Ochu while Wakka spun his ball on his finger. Then he kicked it while it switched to Fire, and the moment it connected the Ochu gave one last scream of anguish before fading away.

For a second we all stood there, breathing heavily from adrenaline before Gatta ran up to us and said "Whoa!" "A summoner and her guardians. Very impressive," Luzzu commented. "Sir, we should fight too!" Gatta told him. "We'll get our chance," Luzzu replied. Their began to run off, Gatta singing "Young Crusaders gather round! We'll beat Sin into the ground!"

I smiled at it before looking at the others. "Everyone okay?" I asked. They all nodded, and Wakka said "You were able to heal us pretty well Yuna. Good job." Yuna shook her head. "No, it was your job for fighting the fiend." Before Wakka could protest I said "In either case, the road to the temple is now open. Let's go." Yuna nodded and began walking forward, the rest of us following.

xxx

Whew, that Ochu was tougher than it looked for Sofia and the others. Now they're on their way to Kilika Temple, but you all know what's waiting at the top of those steps.

Please review! (Flames will be ignored)


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.12 Sinspawn

The group of us made our way through the Kilika Wood without too much trouble after our fight with Ochu. Eventually the forest ended, and we came across some stone steps. I looked and said "Dang." The there had to be hundreds of the steps themselves, and at the top was supposed to be the Kilika Temple. I saw two of the Aurochs stretching and chuckling. Tidus looked from them a to the steps and asked "A race, huh? Think you can beat me?" I decided to join, and they stood. The two Aurochs, Wakka, Tidus and I lined up in front of the steps. "Yuna, if you would," Wakka requested.

Yuna came to stand beside us and raised her hand. I got myself ready. "Ready..." Then Yuna ran up the steps, laughing. Luckily, from my job back in my world as a secretary, I was used to a moment's notice, and shot forward the instant after she did. Wakka said "Hey!" and ran after us, along with the two Aurochs, leaving Tidus in the dust. My time training with Deiru and fighting in this world had helped me gain stamina, and I was three-fourth of the way up the stairs before I even started panting.

Unfortunately, that was when Wakka and the Aurochs kicked it up and began to pull ahead. We were reaching the top, and once we did I dug down and put on a an extra burst of speed. I pulled ahead and stepped onto the top first, exhilarated and feeling the joy of winning.

My victory, however, was short-lived.

Once I reached the top I saw a shell in the ground, and aquamarine tentacles erupted from the ground. The two Aurochs immediately ran back down, one of them yelling "L-Look out!" Wakka ran up to the top of the steps and called "Everyone, quick! Sinspawn!" The others ran right up, and we got ready to battle the fiend. Tidus slashed at with his sword, but it barely left a scratch. "It's hard as rock! My sword's no good!" he called. Blinking I ran forward and brought Selini down in an arc.

Despite my strength and the sharpness of Selini's blade, my sword bounced right off. "He's right, bladed attacks aren't working!" Looking worried, Wakka threw his ball, but it bounced off as well. "My ball can't hurt it either, how about magic?!" he suggested, sounding panicked. Lulu stepped forward and cast a Fire spell, but the moment the ball left her hand it flew towards the tentacle on our left, an the tentacle absorbed the spell. "It's tentacles absorb any magic cast at its body!" she declared.

"Then we have to destroy those first!" I called, and Wakka, Tidus and Kimahri nodded. Tidus and Wakka ran to one tentacle while Kimahri and I faced off against the other. It rose up and one of the tentacles took a swipe at me. I blocked it with Selini and responded with a stab at the main part of the tentacle. The wound was shallow, and the blood that came out was a bluish-green. Another tentacle tried to jab at Kimahri, but he blocked it with his spear before cutting the tentacle off.

When this happened the body shuddered, and suddenly a blast of water hit Kimahri in his side. I looked over at the head before turning back to the tentacles. So it could cast Water, huh? There was a way to fix that. "Yuna, use NulTide on everyone to protect against that fiend. She nodded and focused for a second before saying "Shield us from watery woe!" and waving her staff. Water surrounded me for a moment before disappearing, a small blue light floating around me. Satisfied, I resumed my attack.

The main tentacle now had only two smaller ones attached, thanks to Kimahri, and both of them took a swipe at me from opposite directions. Hit with a sudden idea, I jumped and in the air, and below me the two tentacles smacked into each other. Before they could separate I threw Selini down, and it went through both tentacles, nailing them to the ground. I fell back down and grabbed Selini, twisting it so the tentacles couldn't escape. "Kimahri, it's all yours!" I called.

Without a word he nodded and ran forward, spear in hand. The tentacle tried to pull back, attempting to pull the smaller tentacles away from me, but I held on to Selini. Kimahri stabbed it with his spear before pulling it out and giving it a long cut diagonally. The tentacle continued pulling and Kimahri kept attacking, but its struggles were getting weaker. The I yelled "I'm going to let go! Get ready!" He nodded, and when the tentacles heaved one more time I let go, my sword spinning high into the air.

I ran up to the Tentacle and jumped, running _up_ its surface. Before it could do anything I jumped up and grabbed my sword, before falling down and unleashing Whirlwind Blade. The tentacle withed in pain, but then Kimahri opened his jaws and used Seed Cannon, a seed the size of a bowling ball hitting it dead-center. It continued to writhe for a second, before going slack and crashing to the ground, fading away.

We both looked over to see that Tidus and Wakka were faring well, in that they had cut of all three tentacles and were attacking the main part relentlessly. Tidus used Spiral Cut and finished it off, before we all turned to look at the body of the sinspawn. "Lulu, now!" Wakka called. She nodded and raised an arm above her head and closed her eyes, readying to use her Fury spell. For a second nothing happened, until her eyes snapped open and she said "Burn." Instantly a barrage of fireballs, nine in total fired from her hand and exploded against the shell of the fiend, burning it and engulfing it in smoke.

When the smoke faded the shell itself shuddered, and we heard a groan from the inside. Suddenly the shell split, revealing the fiend's true body. It had two arms with a set of tentacles attached to each side, while it had three plates covering its shoulders, and a slug-like face with spewed poison. I wrinkled my nose in disgust, and Tidus yelled "We can hit it now! Let's get it!" We nodded, and while Tidus, Kimahri and I charged forward Wakka threw his ball and Lulu cast more Fire spells.

Tidus and I both cut off a tentacle and Kimahri stabbed at its body, but then it hissed and raised it arms. The tentacles shot down at us in a deadly barrage, and with so many one managed to cut me on my right knee. The cut wasn't deep, but bleeding profusely. Yuna began to run over to me, but before she could it spat a glob of poison at me. I tried to dodge, but my injured knee gave out and I fell, the poison hitting me like a block of stone. The poison seeped into my bloodstream through the cut on my leg, and I started to feel woozy.

Yuna reached and tried to help me up, but again my knee gave out and I fell feeling the poison quickly take effect. She saw my cut turning a nasty green and placed her hands over it, saying "Light shine strong, our woe begone!" The cut glowed and I felt energy coursing through me, and my sight returned to normal along with the cut on my knee, which she then healed with Cure. I stood up. "Thanks Yuna, I owe you one."

She smiled and nodded, and I turned back to face the fiend. Tidus and the others were holding their own pretty well, all the tentacles on one arm having been cut off. Wakka spun his ball on his finger until it set on fire and kicked it, the attack doing hefty damage. The sinspawn hissed and tried to cast Water, but then Wakka followed it up with Silence attack, negating its magic.

"Nice job, Wakka!" Tidus called before slashing off yet another tentacle. I did the same followed by Kimahri and Lulu. The fiend was getting weaker, and I decided it was time to bring out the big guns. "Yuna, aeon!" I called. She nodded and the rest of us ran back, staying well away from Valefor. Once it was summoned Valefor flew forward and cast a fire spell, followed by it using Sonic Wings. The flames burned along its body for a second, before both they and the fiend were beat back from Sonic Wing's powerful gale.

Then Valefor used Thunder followed by Blizzard, and amazingly the ice froze the electricity _under _the fiend's skin, where it continued to crackle and electrocute it. The fiend writhed in pain, or as much as it could being partially frozen. Then Valefor flew up and reared its head back before firing Energy Ray. The resulting explosion caused the fiend to sway weakly dazed from the assault, I knew now was the time. "Now!" I called. I gave Tidus Selini and he charged forward, while Wakka there his ball, Kimahri his spear. Lulu cast one more fire spell, and Tidus jumped up and used his Spiral Cut with both our swords. The fiend twitched and jerked for a few seconds before it slumped on the ground, fading to dust.

Tidus put his hands on his knees and panted, exhausted from the battle. "Yeesh," he said. Wakka laughed. "Sorry about that, hoped to break you in a little slower." Tidus stood up. "Being a guardian's tiring!" he admitted. "you handled yourself pretty well, you got talent," Wakka said. "So, what about our deal?" I asked him. He looked at me and appeared confused, before his expression cleared and he sighed.

"All right, you win. After the tournament and if Yuna still wants you to be her guardian, then go ahead," he said. I smiled and nodded, saying "Thank you." We walked up the steps, and Wakka asked "So, they got fiends in Zanarkand too?" "Just a few. It was a big deal if one ever showed up though," Tidus replied, but then he stopped and turned around. "Hey! Since when have you believed me about Zanarkand anyway?"

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "I've been thinking. Maybe people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries them through time, like a thousand years through time. Then maybe, they just pop back, ya?" Throughout the time Wakka said this, I saw Lulu's expression grew angrier and angrier, until she walked forward and said "Amazing. Simply amazing. You make up one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth. Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere. Sin crushed him, and left him lying on the Djose shore! You brother won't just pop back."

"Oh, and one more thing. No matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place. And there's no replacement for Sir Jecht by the way. And there's no replacement for Lord Braska either. It's pointless to think about it, and sad." Then Lulu walked past us, heading for the temple. Wakka was silent for a moment, before punching the ground and saying "I... could never be what Chappu was." Then he stood up and said "Well, stuff happens. Best not to worry about it," before walking off.

We all followed, and I couldn't help but wonder: When Lulu had talked about Chappu, her expression had the barest hint of pain in it, and her tone had a hint of sadness. What kind of connection would she have had with Chappu to cause Lulu to act that way? Well, whatever it was, I'm sure I would find out eventually. So with that in mind I kept on going, towards Kilika Temple.

xxx

Well, one more Sinspawn officially down for the count. Coming soon, the Cloister of Trials!

Please review! Flames will be ignored.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Note: Starting now I will skip the part where the Cloister of Trials are solved, instead jumping to the Chamber of the Fayth.

Ch.13 Kilika Temple

The group of us walked up the last of the steps, and arrived at the Kilika Temple. The temple itself was huge, even bigger than the one at Besaid. Twin towers rose up into the sky connected to the main part of the temple, and all around were green spheres with fires burning in them while one huge part of the ground was made of green glass, with a huge fire burning beneath it. A temple of fire and that must mean that the Cloister of Trails here would pertain to fire as well.

As we were walking a trio of guys all walked out of the temple. One had brown hair, one red and one ginger, and they were all wearing purple suits with stars and crescents. I nudged Wakka and whispered "Hey, who are those guys?" "They're the Luca Goers, another blitzball team," he replied. I nodded; that would explain the uniform. We walked forward to them, and Wakka asked "You here to pray for victory too?"

"Us? Pray? Who needs to pray? The Luca Goers always win!" the red-haired one said. I raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you three here?" I asked. "We've been praying for some competition this year," the ginger one said. So what are you going to do? You gonna 'do your best' again?" the red one asked mockingly, and the brown-haired one said "Ha, it's too bad their best isn't good enough! Why even bother?" Tidus stepped forward. "this time, we play to win!" he said.

"Oooh, play away! Just remember, even kids can play boys!" the red-haired one said. Then they began to walk off. Deciding to not take any of this, I stepped forward and stuck my foot out the slightest bit. The red-head hit my foot and stumbled, but didn't trip. He looked back and glared at me, and I said "Once we wipe the arena with you, I'll enjoy seeing the look on your face." He glared at me for another second, before going "humph" and walking off to catch up with the other two.

"Arrogant pricks," I muttered, and Wakka called "See you in the finals!" "We'll beat them. We have to!" Tidus said. Yuna frowned and looked at him. "You don't like them?" she asked. "Putting people down, they're as bad as my old man!" Tidus said. "But, Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man!" Yuna protested. "Well not my Jecht," Tidus told her. With that, they fell into silence and kept walking, and I thought about Tidus and his relationship with his father.

I hadn't asked much yet, but from what I had gathered Tidus had a rocky relationship with his father, even after he passed away. To hate your own father, to me the idea was inconceivable. My mom had died giving birth to me and after that , when we lived in Alaska, my father was the only one I had. I loved him unconditionally, and that feeling only strengthened after he had disappeared and I learned the hard way just how much he did for me.

While I was pondering my thoughts I walked into the temple, subtly noticing that it was very similar to the one in Besaid, only this one had a large number of torches around the edges, further signifying fire. I came back down to earth when I saw Wakka and Tidus on their knees in front of a statue, praying. "Lord Ohalland, guide our feet." I wondered whether I should pray or not as well, and I decided it couldn't hurt. I got down on my knees next to them and performed the prayer next to them.

Up the stairs, to figures walked out of the door to the Cloister of Trials. One was a dark-skinned woman with ebony hair tied up in a bun, and the other was a huge guy with a load of muscles and no shirt. She looked down at Yuna and said "A summoner, are you?" The two of them walked down to come face to face with Yuna, and she said "My name is Yuna- from the isle of Besaid." "Dona," the woman replied.

"So you're High Summoner Braska's daughter. That's quite a name to live up to." Dona looked around and said "My, my, my... And all these people are your guardians. My, what a rabble. As I recall your father had only to guardians. Quality over quantity my dear, whatever were you thinking? I am in need of only one guardian. Right, Barthello?" The muscled guy, Barthello, nods. Upon hearing this I stood up and walked over. "Are trying to insult my friend?" I asked, a fine edge of malice in my voice.

Dona looked at me and was about to say something when Yuna put a hand on my shoulder and said "Sofia, it's alright." I looked her, concerned, and she nodded. She turned back to Dona and said "I only have as many guardians as there are people I can trust. I trust them all with my life. To have so many guardians is joy, and an honor; even more so than being my father's daughter. Of course, I would never think of questioning your may either. So, Lady Dona, I ask of you: please leave us in peace."

"You do whatever you want. Barthello, we're leaving," Dona said, and he nodded, the two of them turning and leaving. Once they were gone Yuna sighed, and I thought about what she said. She only had as many guardians as people she could trust, and she would put her life in their hands. And Yuna wanted me to be her guardian... "Hey, Yuna?" I asked. She turned to me and smiled. "Yes?"

"You said that you would trust your guardians with your life. Does that mean me as well?" I asked. She nodded, and I was stunned. No one had ever placed that much trust in me, and for Yuna to do just that... it left me surprised. She turned and said "Now we must face the Cloister of Trials. Everyone?" Wakka and Tidus stood up, and we all walked toward the door. Once we were inside I saw a lift with the Kilika Temple symbol on it, and Wakka said "The fayth is below. Let's do it!"

"The fayth?" Tidus asked. Lulu said "But first, the Cloister of Trials. Kimahri, Wakka, ready?" They both nodded, and Yuna said "Strength, everyone!" We all got on the lift, but then Kimarhi pushed us both off. "Hey, what gives?" Tidus asked. "The two of you aren't guardians just yet," Lulu told him. "We'll be back soon, okay?" Yuna reassured us. The symbol on the lift glowed red, and it began to take them all down. "Oh yeah soon. Like 'tomorrow' soon, I bet," Tidus said. "Not a guardian yet. I'm still going to be one after the tournament! Doesn't that count for something?" I asked, not expecting an answer.

I didn't get one, and when the lift came back up it was empty. At that moment Dona and Barthello came back, and Dona asked "Where's Yuna?" Tidus pointed at the lift, and Dona said "Then why are the two of you here?" "Apparently since we're not guardians _yet_, we can't go in," I said. "Not guardians, hmm?" Dona repeated, a thoughtful expression on her face. Then she looked at Barthello, and he nodded.

Before I had a chance to wonder what that meant, Barthello was behind us, and picked us both up by the necks of our shirts. "Hey! Let me go, you piece of shit! I didn't ask for you to pick me up! Let me _go_, dammit!" I yelled, swinging my arms and legs around, but the guy didn't move. "That's quite a mouth you have on you. Barthello?" Dona commented. He turned around and threw us both onto the lift. I stood and rubbed the back of my head, and Tidus said "What's the big idea?"

"Just a little game," Dona promised. I blinked in confusion, and the lift glowed before beginning to descend. "This is bad. Really bad," Tidus said. I glared up at where the two of them had been, and I said "Those two had better be gone by the time I get back, or I might just have two new targets for sword practice." The lift reached the bottom, the room beyond being a short corridor ending in a large set of doors. Once we reached the doors, Tidus said "Only guardians are allowed, and we're sure no guardians. What do you think Sofia?" "Well we're already here, and whether we wait or not we'll eventually get caught. So I'm going ahead, have something to do."

Tidus nodded and I pushed open the doors, walking in.

_(One Cloister of Trails later...)_

Once Tidus and I had solved the Cloister of Trials we walked into the Chamber of the Fayth. I heard someone, a male, singing the Hymn of the Fayth, the song echoing throughout the room. Wakka saw us and ran over, saying "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He sighed and Tidus rubbed the back of his head, saying "it was Dona and that big muscle-head man!" "They threw us onto the lift," I added. "Yuna will be the one to suffer the consequences!" Lulu said. "What consequences?" Tidus asked. "She could be excommunicated!" Wakka warned.

"Hey, we didn't put ourselves on that lift! Dona did!" I called. They were silent, and I walked over to the edge of the room to be mad, thinking about how much bull that was. We waited for a while for Yuna to come out, and after a while Tidus walked over to Wakka and asked "So what's in there?" pointing at the room beyond. "The fayth, remember?" Wakka asked. "Oh yeah, that thing, right" Tidus said. Lulu explained "The fayth are people who gave their lives to battle Sin. Yevon took their souls, willingly given from their still-living bodies." I looked up at this, and she continued.

"Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a summoner beckons, they souls of the fayth emerge once again. That's what we call an aeon." I got off the wall and asked "And all that happens in that room? Why don't we go in?" "It's taboo!" Wakka replied. I rolled my eyes and went back to where I was; I had never been very religious, and barely believed in taboos. "S-So what's Yuna doing in there?" Tidus asked. "She prays with all her heart for a way to defeat Sin." "And because she did that, she gets the aeon?" Tidus asked, and Wakka nodded.

With that we fell back into silence, until the door rose open, and Yuna walked open. Like the first time she was sweating and panting, only this time instead of falling forward she fell to her knees. Instantly I ran over, asking "Are you okay?" Yuna nodded, and Lulu asked "Is there anything we can do for you?" Yuan was silent for a moment, before stretching out her arms and saying "Can you... help me up?" I nodded and slung one arm over my shoulder, while Wakka did the same with the other. We helped Yuna up and walked her that way out of the temple.

Once we were outside the fresh breeze hit us in the face, and Yuna said "Thank you. I think I can walk now." I looked at her worriedly and said "Are you sure?" She nodded, and both Wakka and I let her go. She stumbled for a moment before standing, and walking forward. The rest of us followed, but after a moment Tidus stopped walking. Yuna approached him and said "Are you okay?" "I... I don;t know," Tidus admitted to her. She frowned and said "What do you want to do?" "To scream real loud," He replied. Yuan laughed, and he did just that, the volume him screaming causing us and a few other people to look at him.

After that we walked back to the village without incident, and once we reached the docks we came across our boat. "Off to Luca at last! The matches start as soon as we get there, so rest up okay?" Wakka said. We all got onto the S.S. Winno, which pulled out of the harbor and out to sea.

xxx

Well, one more temple successfully down, and the blitzball tournament is soon to begin!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.14 The Teacher

The night before we arrived in Luca was spent aboard the S.S. Winno. I walked up onto the deck from below in time to see Lulu and Wakka nod to each other and walk up to the platform above, while Yuna was once again surrounded by people being in awe over her. I smiled and wondered whether I should save her, but then I noticed Kimahri standing a few feet from her and decided that he had it covered.

It was about that time that Tidus came up from below deck. "Hey, feeling restless as well?" I asked. He nodded, and then we heard Lulu and Wakka talking from above, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Tidus looked at me. "Care to find out what they're saying?" he asked, and I nod. We both walked to the stairs and crept upwards, only we could just see what was happening above deck, and hear as well.

"Well? Say something," Lulu told Wakka. "You'll take responsibility?" "Relax! The two of them are bound to know someone in Luca," Wakka said confidently. "And if not?" Lulu pressed. "Well, they can always join blitz teams. Either way, it's better than just leaving them in Besaid," Wakka said, sounding less confident. "What, just leaving them in Luca?" Lulu asked. "What do you want me to do?" Wakka asked her.

"Yuna wants to make both of them her guardians. The girl Sofia has already shown interest in it," Lulu told him. "Oh yeah, geez. There's that too, huh?" Wakka said. "And whose fault is that?" Lulu asked. "Not mine!" Wakka said immediately. They were silent for a few minutes, until he asked "It is mine isn't it? Why do you think she wants to make them guardians anyway?" "Sofia says that she has nowhere else to go, and wants to protect Yuna. Tidus on the other hand, that is because he's Sir Jecht's son," she told him.

"You sure about that? He's really Sir Jecht's son?" Wakka asked. "Yuna seems to believe so," Lulu answered. He simply replied "Okay," and she raised an eyebrow. "'Okay'? 'Okay'? That's all you have to say?" she asked, sounding irritated. "Well yeah, I mean… They've got to decide for themselves right? Well, them and Yuna I guess," Wakka said. "You're right for once," Lulu said, to which Wakka went "Ahem!" Lulu turned and looked out at the sea. "I wonder which is best…"

After that we were about to head back down when they spoke again. "What don't you tell Tidus he should?" Lulu asked. He looked at her, confused. "Should what?" "Become Yuna's guardian," she replied simply. "Why me?" Wakka asked. "Because Yuna can't," Lulu said, to which he replied "Why not?" "He hates his father. What he was, what he did. Do you honestly think she could say to him 'I want you to be my guardian, like your father was to mine'"? "Aren't you being oversensitive?" Wakka asked. Lulu sighed and glared at him, exasperated.

"All right, I'll talk to him after the tournament," Wakka promised. "Be discreet," Lulu advised. "I know, it's his decision," Wakka said firmly. I turned to Tidus to see he had a faint expression of anger on his face. "Thinking about your old man?" I asked quietly. He nodded, and I gave him a DiNozzo slap on the back of his head. (A/N: For those of you who know what a DiNozzo slap is, good job) Tidus rubbed the back of his head and looked at me. "What was _that_ for?!" he asked.

"I don't care how or what your father did. Unless he happened to be an abusive son of a bitch, you keep his name in good memory," I told him. Tidus looked me in the eye. "That's _exactly_ what he was." I paused, and then said "Fine, do what you will with your memory of him." Then Lulu and Wakka began to speak again, and we quieted. "He hates his father?" Wakka asked. "Apparently. He told Yuna as much," Lulu explained. "Hating your own father huh? Sounds like a luxury to me. I don't even remember my parents. Can't say how I feel about them," Wakka stated.

Lulu turned away from him. "I… I was five back then, so I remember mine a little," she admitted. Wakka said "Dammit!" and punched the ground. Lulu turned back to him. "Sin just takes everything away from us!" he said, but then he stopped. "Hey, what about Sofia's parents?" he asked. "From what I've been able to gather, she lived with her father until she was about seven, and then he disappeared. Afterward she was put in an orphanage, and lived on her own starting a year ago. But she never said anything about her mother."

"So even she grew up most of her life without parents? Man," Wakka said sympathetically. Lulu didn't know what to say to this, and the conversation ended. I walked back down the steps with Tidus, and when we reached back down onto the deck, he looked at me. "Is your old man really missing too?" he asked. I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, he vanished ten years ago, and no one's seen him since. As for my mother, she died giving birth to me." I made a small humorless laugh. "My father used to say that I had the same color hair as her."

"My mom died a while after my dad disappeared. She cared about me a lot though," Tidus said. I didn't know what to say, so I left him with his thoughts and walked below deck while he went to talk with Yuna. My earlier restlessness was gone, and I climbed into my hammock to fall asleep.

xxx

When I awoke it was just a few hours later, but more than half the people on board had gone to sleep. I climbed out of my hammock and jumped down. Ever since we had fought that Ochu in the Kilika Wood, I had been mulling an idea around inside my head. My only hope was that Lulu was awake, that way I could ask. I quietly walked out of the room so as to not awake anyone, but once I go out into the hall I heard a voice call "Oi, you there!" I froze and turned around.

To my relief it wasn't anyone dangerous, just a merchant from the looks of him. He had on simple traveling clothes, with a cap with a string around his head and a pack on his back. "I know you. You're on this boat with Lady Yuna and her guardians aren't you?" he asked in a rather nasal voice. I nodded, and he said "My name is O'aka XXIII, merchant extraordinaire, and the start of a brand new business empire! It hasn't taken off just yet, but any purchase or donation would be welcome, and a donation will mean future discounts!"

I was faintly surprised- one from the fact this was the 23rd of people in his family all named O'aka, and because he was offering goods aboard a ship. Still, I decided to be nice and pulled out a hundred gil. "Here, take it and make your 'empire' grow," I said. He thanked me and took the money, slipping it in his pocket. I walked up onto the deck and looked around, wondering where Lulu might be. It turned out that she wasn't asleep, and instead was standing at the front of the bow, looking out to sea.

I walked toward her, and when I was few steps away she turned and looked at me. "Yes?" she asked. I stopped and hesitated, before asking "Lulu, you're a mage right? A spell-caster?" She nodded, and once again I hesitated. "Do you think… it might be possible… for you to teach me some magic?" I requested. She blinked, and asked "Where is this coming from?" she asked. I sighed before beginning to explain.

"After we fought that Ochu in Kilika, I was a little impressed by your magic. It got me thinking about just how useful magic was, and I saw that your only weapon is magic, yet you fight just as well as the rest of us. And that made me see just how important learning magic is." "And so you've come to me, seeking a teacher?" Lulu asked. "But even if you are interested, why would you need to learn it? You are already capable with a sword. I see no need for you to learn anything else," Lulu said.

I faltered, but refused to give up. "True, using Selini had helped me out of more than a few scrapes. But like with that Ochu or the sinspawn, what really brought it down was magic. A sword's good, but there's only so far you can go with that before you need a spell," I said. The answered surprised Lulu, and from what I could see she was really considering it. "I've never taught anyone magic before. How do I know it will be successful?" she asked. I smiled and said "If you don't do, you never know."

The moment I said those words Lulu actually flinched, and I frowned. "What's wrong?" I asked. "The last person who said those words to me… was Chappu," Lulu told me. My eyes widened and I tried to apologize, but Lulu waved it away. "You don't need to worry, the saying isn't just his to use." She was silent for a moment before sighing. "Very well, I'll teach you what I know."

I smiled and was about to say something when she held up a finger. "But if I am to be your teacher, then I have two rules. One: You will not make any complaints when I am teaching you. If you complain, I am done teaching you. Second: You will give me your all when I am teaching you, and I will decide you have given it. Understood?" I nodded. "Then take off that trench coat off yours, and we'll begin."

I pulled my coat off and laid it on the rail of the ship, while Lulu walked to stand in the center of the deck. I followed, and stopped a few feet from her. "Before I begin to actually teach the spells of magic, you have to first know about magic itself. Magic is divided into two branches, with each branch having smaller categories within. The two branches are White magic and Black Magic. White Magic involves spells that heal and strengthen allies, while Black Magic revolves around dealing damage to and weakening enemies," Lulu explained.

"I am a Black Mage and as such use Black Magic. I never professed in the healing arts. If you wish for a tutor in White Magic, I suggest you talk to Yuna." I shook my head. "No, I'm fine with just Black Magic," I said. Lulu made a small smiled and said "Good answer. Black Magic in itself contains four main categories, pertaining to the four magical elements: fire, water, ice and lightning. There are other spells, such as poisoning an enemy or draining their strength to increase your own, but they are too complicated to teach now. For now, we will stick to the four main types of spells."

Lulu looked around at the ship. "Considering that this ship is made of wood, it wouldn't be a good idea to practice Fire or Thunder while we're on it. Therefore, we'll start with Water and Blizzard. Beginning with Water, I want you to hold out your hand, palm upwards." I did so, and she said "Now close your eyes, focus your mind, and think about water." I closed my eyes, and began to think about water. Simple enough, I lived in San Francisco, which was next to a whole ocean of water. I imagined churning waves and falling rain, early morning mist and the image of a tropical storm.

"Now keep those images in your head, and say 'Water'," Lulu ordered. I focused and called "Water!" The moisture in the air around my hand condensed into droplets of water, which gather to form an orb the size of a tennis ball in my hand. I tried to keep it that way, but the longer the orb stayed there the harder it became to concentrate. The orb wobbled and began to shake, and I focused harder, trying to keep it there. It became too much, and the orb feel from my hand to splash against the deck.

"Not bad for your first try. Now do it again," Lulu told me. I looked at her and said "Are you serious? That time alone was difficult enough." She raised an eyebrow and asked "Is that a complaint?" I groaned and rolled my eyes, but I held my hand back out and tried again. This time was both easier and harder than the first. I was able to hold the orb there longer, but it harder to get it to form in the first place. "To be an adept mage you need to have both mental strength and stamina. A weak mind makes for a weak spell-caster," Lulu told me.

She had me created the sphere a total of four more times, the last two firing it at another orb that she had created. Then she told me to stop and said "Now we'll try having you cast Blizzard. Spells of water and ice are remarkably similar, since ice is merely frozen water. If you can master one of the spells then the other will be that much easier. Now hold your palm up and do the same as before, only this time think of ice and snow."

I closed my eyes again, feeling my head pounded from the effort I had already put in, and I thought of snow. That was also easy, I had lived in Alaska with my father, and where we lived there was more than enough snow for it to remain in my memory. I called "Blizzard!" and a shard of ice the size of a baseball appeared in my hand, somewhat even easier than the first. "Not bad," Lulu said again. "Now take that shard and hit the target." I looked at the sphere that Lulu had conjured and focused on it before reaching out to it and sent a mental command to the shard in my palm.

It flew through the air toward the sphere, but at the last seconds my concentration faltered, and it missed by less than an inch. Lulu sighed and I looked crestfallen, before she said "You've done well for now. Once you've had more practice the use of magic will require less concentration, and you'll be able to cast more complex spells. But for now, keep work with these two. If you've done well, then once we're onto dry land I'll teach you Fire and Thunder."

I nodded and, on a sudden impulse, bowed respectfully. "Thank you Lulu, for teaching me," I said She blinked in surprise before saying "It is you who managed to convince me, otherwise I would have refused. Now get some sleep, we'll be in Luca by tomorrow." I nodded my thanks and walked over to get below deck. Once I reached my hammock and climbed in I closed my eyes, the sounds of the sea and the gentle rocking of the ship lulling me to sleep.

xxx

Well, there goes another chapter, and come the next chapter things will begin to get really interesting.

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Notice: Awesome! A World Beyond My Own has reached one-thousand views! It's great to know this story has become so popular, and I owe it all to you, my fellow readers! Thank you!

Ch.15 Sparring before Luca

I awoke on the S.S. Winno the morning after I had spent my first lesson in magic with Lulu. For a while I was content to just lie there in my hammock, practicing Water and Blizzard and made small snowflakes. I needed more practice, but I wasn't doing badly either. Eventually I got tired of throwing up and catching a ball of water, so I stopped and swung my legs out the hammock. I had heard that Luca was on the mainland and cooler in climate than Besaid or Kilika, so I dressed for such a thing.

As fond as I was for my black leather trench coat I still kept that on, and underneath I had a white t-shirt with a picture of a red rose on the left part of my chest, just over my heart. My jeans were blue instead of black, and my black combats made a solid sound as I stood up. Yuna had let me borrow a comb and I pulled through my hair, getting rid of any bed-head. Once I was satisfied with my appearance I walked above deck.

It was still early in the morning, not long after dawn, but that didn't surprise or bother me. Being an accountant back in my world, I had been used to waking up early. But now that I wasn't going to work, I could focus on other things, like keeping up my sword training. I walked to center of the deck and pulled out Selini, moving into a battle stance. "_It would be easier if I had someone to spar with like Tidus or Kimahri_," I thought. I remembered my teacher from San Francisco, Deiru. He was an excellent sparring partner, and a good teacher. But he had disappeared into the light from Sin the same as me.

The fact caused me to wonder: could Deiru have ended up in Spira as well? And if he had, why had I not seen him yet? Maybe Wakka was right, maybe I would see him in Luca. It seemed my thought about the blitzball player had caused some twist of fate, because at that moment he walked up onto the deck and saw me there. He looked surprised for a second, until he saw my sword and asked "You trying to get some practice too?" I nodded. "Hmm, I had been planning for some last-minute blitzball practice, but a small battle can't hurt."

Now it was my turn to be surprised, and I asked "You want to have a match with me?" He nodded, and pulled out his ball. "How 'bout it? Think you can win?" he challenged. I smiled and said "As the saying goes, I'll take you to the mat." He laughed and walked over to stand away feet away from me. "Don't underestimate me, ya?" he said. "You'll be sorry if you do." I didn't respond to that and moved my sword in front of me. "You ready?" I asked. He nodded, and I charged forward.

Wakka threw his ball and I moved my head to the side, dodging my only inches. I ran further and slashed with Selini, but he jumped back and did back-flip, landing on his hand to jump again and catch his ball, which had bounced back. While he was in the air he threw it again, this time with black smoke. I jumped back to dodge the Dark Attack, but the ball hit the deck and bounced toward me, hitting me in the stomach. The blow didn't hurt or make me lose any wind, but my sight turned black and I wasn't able to see anything.

Without be able to see I wasn't able to dodge, and I felt Wakka's ball connect solidly with my side. I swung in that direction, but it had already bounced back. "I told you not to underestimate me!" Wakka called, hitting me this time from the right. I decided to not try and locate him by sight, which was now pointless, but by sound. From behind me I heard him say "Take this!" and I spun around, holding Selini sideways in front of me. The ball bounced off my blade, the movement causing my pockets to sway, and the items therein.

Of course! I had completely forgotten that I had bought a vial of Eye Drops from O'aka. I pulled it out, unscrewed the vial, and poured one drop onto each eye. I blinked and my sight returned to normal, just in time to see Wakka drink a Potion without looking at me before he throw another attack at me from my left. I blocked the move easily and ran forward, bringing my sword down in an arc. Wakka blinked in surprise, but grabbed his ball and jumped back, but only a few feet. He didn't see me use the Eye Drops since his eyes were closed, so he thought I was still blinded!

I hurriedly went over that and what I knew about Wakka's fighting style. Wakka used his ball to fight, which was a projectile weapon. For that to work he would have to fight from a moderate distance, which meant he couldn't do much when he was fighting close quarters. So if I began attacking up close and personal, my style of battle, then that coupled with the surprise he would have from my being able to see might be enough for me to pull out a win.

Now that I had my strategy in mind, I waited until Wakka threw his ball again. He yelled "It's too bad you can't see me, huh?" I smiled and said "Oh, no?" I reached up with one hand and grabbed his ball, holding it before throwing it back. His eyes widened in surprise and he caught it, but I was also running forward and swung down with Selini. He jumped back to avoid the assault, and I kept on him, not giving him any ground to work from. Then I pushed him so he was against the rail of the ship and kicked his feet out from under him.

Instantly he jumped back up, but I cast Water followed by Blizzard, soaking his feet with water before freezing it, keeping him feet stuck to the floor. He looked down at the use of magic, and I jumped forward. By the time he looked up, my sword was resting against the hallow of his throat. "Game over," I said. He looked irritated for a second before nodding, and put my sword back in its sheath. It was then that we heard a small amount of clapping, and I looked to see that our match had attracted company.

Yuna, Lulu, Tidus and a couple of the Besaid Aurochs were clapping, while Kimahri stood there without moving. Wakka groaned and said "Great, now I have company who get to see my loss!" Some of the company, including a few of the Aurochs, laughed. "Aww, that's too bad Captain, getting beaten in a fight by a girl!" one of them, Datto, yelled. Lulu, Yuna and I all looked at him, and I asked "What's wrong with that?" He stopped laughing and already broke a sweat. "Uh, no problem! No problem at all!" he said, and we stopped looking at him.

"How'd you even learn to use magic anyway?" Wakka asked. I smiled. "You have Lulu to thank for that. She agreed to teach me magic," I said, and he looked at her. "You really decided to be her teacher?" he asked. Lulu made a small smile. "She asked me to teach her what I knew about magic, and managed to convince to say 'yes'." Then she looked at his feet and said "Although, freezing his feet to the deck wouldn't have been my first choice." I smiled. "I wanted to keep him from getting the distance he needed to toss his ball, and this seemed like the best option."

She nodded. "You're using the magic you know to advantage. Such a thing is important to being a good mage." I smiled and actually bowed at the compliment, and Wakka said "Real nice, now can you get my feet out of here?" My smile turned sheepish. "Sorry, I only know Water and Blizzard. Lulu decided it wouldn't be safe for me to practice Fire or Thunder while we were on a wooden ship." Wakka's jaw dropped and he said "You're kidding me, ya?!" Tidus sighed and stepped forward, saying "I'll help you out." But I could see that he, along with everyone else, was barely holding back a smile.

I went to watch the sea go by, everyone else going off to do as they wish while Tidus took a pick and began chipping away at the ice on Wakka's feet.

xxx

After a few hours the sun was well into the sky, and we had finally reached Luca. The city was huge, almost as large as San Francisco, and people were crowed all long the docks. Huge balloons flew in the air, and I could hear people talking over megaphones. "All of this for a blitzball tournament?" I asked Wakka, who was now free. He smiled. "I told you this tournament would be major, didn't I? I nodded, still unable to believe all of it, and I heard a huge voice announcing from somewhere.

"_Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2. All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts! High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them-a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin, isn't that right Jimma?_" Another voice answered "_Yes Bobba. They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year._" The first commentator, Bobba, said "_Exciting, isn't it folks? Our next team off the ramp is…_"

Then our boat pulled in, and his voice turned almost taunting. "_Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing, statistical impossibility! I've never seen a team this bad!"_ I frowned, and he continued "_That right, in twenty-three years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans are in the audience today!_" The other commentator, Jimma, said "_Best of luck to them and a safe journey back to Besaid._" "_Right Jimma. Moving right along our next to team is… Here they are folks! It's our very own Luca Goers!_"

A flag waved above, and they stepped off the same boat as us. "_They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're an all around first-class team, and they back home in Luca!_" Bobba cheered. "_Without a doubt they are the favorite to win this year Bobba. And after they dominated the competition last year, it'd take a miracle for them to lose today._" Jimma agreed. "_You can say that again Jimma. Look at the crowd folks, look at the crowd! It looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on. They know, I know, and you know folks! The Luca Goers are number one!"_

While the Goers were basking in the glory being showered on them, the rest of us stood to the side. I glared at them and said "So much for unbiased commentary." "No kidding," Tidus agreed. "Hey, it's like this every year ya? Don't let it bother you," Wakka told us. I sighed and was about to say "fine" but Tidus did one of the most publicly embarrassing things I had ever seen in history. He grabbed a megaphone and climbed on top of a pile of crates. Then he turned on the megaphone and said "Sop right there Goers!"

My eyes widened, and the Goers indeed stopped, only to look at us. "You guys are smiling now, but not for long! Because this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!" Tidus told them, and after that he laughed. I face-palmed myself and looked away, not hoping to be seen like this. After everyone eventually looked away Wakka pulled him down. "What in Yevon's name were you doing up there?" he asked.

One of the Aurochs, Datto said "We sure stood out though." Letty said "We were on the sphere!" "We were?" Datto asked. But then a trio of people ran by, saying "Maester Mika is here!" "Already?!" "The number 3 dock!" "What up now?" Tidus asked. Yuna looked at him excitedly. "Maester Mika has arrived, that's what!" she told him. He only looked more confused, and asked "Mika? Maester?" "Maester Mika is the leader of all the peoples of Spira. He comes all the way from Bevelle. This tournament is being held to honor his fifty years as maester," Lulu explained.

"Fifty years?" Tidus repeated. "Shouldn't he be, uh, retired by now?" As this Wakka clipped him on the back of the head and said "Hey, mind your mouth now!" I laughed a little, and Yuna said "Let's go see him!" They began to head for dock 3, and I figured "Can't hurt." So I followed.

xxx

Ha ha, looks like Wakka got taken to the mat by Sofia! And now that they're Luca, soon comes the tournament, and the events after!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.16 The Tournament Begins

The six of us- Tidus, Wakka, Yuna, Lulu, Kimahri and I- reached the number 3 dock only to see that a huge crowd of people had already beat us to the punch. Tidus craned his neck, trying to see over the crowd, and said "I can't see anything!" Wakka said "Shhhh!" and I smiled. Then festive music began playing from a total of six musicians, and warrior monks in armor began marching off the ship, which were followed by a strange figure. He had blue eyes with long blue hair, the hair in two long bangs similar to horns while there was one bang falling over his face. The veins on his face were prominent, and he was wearing a dark blue robe with red trimmings and a green sash. His sleeves were really long, and his robe was open so his chest could be seen.

The moment this strange guy appeared a few people began whispering, and I heard "That's a Guado, right?" "Isn't that… Maester Seymour?" another questioned. The strange guy, Maester Seymour, turned and faced the boat, before kneeling and having his hands in the sign of prayer. Everyone in the crowd followed, including me, followed, except for Tidus who stayed standing. Slowly an old man with a white hair and beard, dressing in a robe similar to the ones I had seen Yevon priests wear, walk down the gangplank.

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome. Rise, Maester Seymour, and all of you as well," Maester Mika said. We all stood, and Maester Seymour walked to stand next to Maester Mika. He continued. "I present to you… the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As you are aware, he has already been ordained a maester of Yevon." Maester Seymour stepped forward and began to speak.

"I am Seymour Guado, and I am honored to receive the title of maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry out his wishes, and fulfill my duties as maester to the best of my abilities," he announced. Everyone once more made the prayer gesture, and Wakka nudged Tidus. "You too! Bow your head," he said. Mika and the warrior monks began to leave, but Maester Seymour lingered for a second. He stared at Yuna for a minute, before glancing at me and leaving.

Yuna started at the stare, and I did too at that glance. When he had glanced and me I could feel my blood cool for a second, and I sensed a flash of danger. But that moment passed, and Wakka said "Really psyches you up, ya?" I nodded. I didn't know how our why, but something about Seymour told me that with him we should proceed with caution. "All right! Last meeting before the match! Hustle!" Wakka called, and Tidus and I followed him to the lockers.

xxx

Tidus and I walked into the lockers, and all the Aurochs stood, hopeful expressions on their faces. But they saw it was us and they all groaned in disappointment. Tidus looked around and asked "Where's Wakka?" "At the match-up draws," Datto answered. "We had to play the Goers in the first match last year," Letty told us. Jassu added "And the year before that, and the year before that too!" "Well, we would have lost to anyone anyway," Keepa said. At this I frowned and walked, clipping the goalie on the side of the head.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Keep asked rubbing his head and glaring at me. "Don't say we're going to lose. We _will_ win, whether the odds are with us or not. Leave no room for doubt," I said seriously. Before Keepa could make any kind of a reply the door opened again, and Wakka walked through. The whole team sprung to their feet. "Cap'n Wakka!" Datto called. Wakka was silent for a moment, before smiling and giving a thumbs-up. "We're playing the Al Bhed Psyches first. If we win, we're in the finals."

Everyone's face lit up in delight and disbelief, and Wakka said "That's right, we got seeded! Two wins and we're the champions!" The whole team cheered. Wakka said "But first things first, let's go over the basics again boys." So Wakka spent the next maybe twenty minutes re-teaching us the rules of blitzball. By the time he was done my eyes were getting droopy, and Tidus yawned. Then the door opened, and Yuna and Lulu came through.

"There you are!" Yuna said, looking at Tidus. "Someone said they just saw Sir Auron in a café!" Tidus jumped up, asking "Au-Auron?!" "Isn't Auron the guy you came to Spira with?" I asked. Tidus nodded, but then Lulu added "However, it appears as though he wasn't alone. They say he was accompanied by a strange man with spiky dark hair, a large sword and an eye patch." At this my eyes widened larger than a pair of headlights, and I vaulted upwards to stand. "What did you say?!" I asked, unable to believe it.

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "I said, Sir Auron was seen with a man who was said to have spiky black hair, carried a large sword, and wore an eye patch over one eye," Lulu repeated. "Is it someone you know?" Yuna asked. "It… well… it could be. The other person I came to Spira with, he had that same description. "Great! Let's go find both of them!" Yuna said. Tidus and I nodded, and we were all about to leave when Wakka called "Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey! The game started real soon! C-Come back quick ya?!"

"We'll be back," I promised. Wakka nodded, and said "Yeah, okay," but I could still see the tension in his stance. Tidus noticed it too, and walked forward. "Hey, Wakka. You're stiff man," he told him. Wakka tried to relax his expression, but Tidus shook his head. "No, not your face, just breathe in. There, like that. Relax." Slowly Wakka, with more than a little effort, did. Yuna giggled and Lulu shook her head, while I smiled. We all walked out, and Yuna stood in front of Tidus. "Maybe now we can find Sir Jecht," she said.

Tidus instantly became confused, and he asked "Huh? How?" "Sir Auron was the other of my father's guardians. So, he might know where Sir Jecht is as well. Let's go now!" she said, and we all ran off. Along the way we passed by two blitzball players, who muttered "Y myto summoner!" The other said "Fa sicd nabund!" Tidus walked up to them. "Hey, Al Bhed Psyches right? There were these Al Bhed that saved my life and… his girl Rikku gave me food and…" Then Tidus noticed that they were just staring at him, and he rubbed his head. "Uh… you don't understand what I'm saying do you? Well, if you see Rikku, tell her 'thanks' for me. Oh, and as for the first round, may them best team win," he said, before running to join us.

I walked with Yuna and Kimahri, but once we stepped out of the stadium we, or really Yuna, were surrounded by people. Yuna laughed and said "I'm sorry, please let me through." The people moved out of the way, and Tidus commented "You're really famous!" To this she just giggled, and we kept going. Once we made it farther down the road, Yuna stopped. "I hope we don't get separated," she said. Then from behind Tidus called "Yuna!" and when she turned he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. "What was that?" she asked.

Tidus laughed, and explained "In Zanarkand, we do this to cheer on blitzball players." He did it again, and he said "You try! Put fingers in your mouth like this." "Like… this?" she asked, and he shook his head. "Not like that, like this." Once she got it write he said "And then you just blow!" Yuna did so once, twice, but no sound was made except for rushing air. "It's not working," she told him. He replied "Practice!" and she nodded. "Use that is we ever get separated. I'll come running, okay?" Tidus told her, and then he rubbed his head. "Well, I guess we should just stick together then, until you can do it?" Yuna said "Yes, sir!" and I smiled. Someone was eager for suggestion.

We walked farther in, to the town square, and Tidus stopped, gawking at the size of it. "Whoa! This is a pretty big town!" he commented. "Luca is the second largest city in Spira," Yuna informed, and he said "I thought every town was little, like Besaid or Kilika." Yuna's face fell, and she explained "Towns don't usually get bigger than that. Because, when lots of people start to gather…" Tidus stepped forward and gently asked "Sin?" Yuna nodded, and I asked "What about Luca? It's a seaside town, how is it any different?"

"Well, the stadium is here. The Crusaders fight to protect it with all their strength," she said. "The fight to protect the stadium?" Tidus asked, confused. "Blitzball is really the only entertainment that we have. Spira's a little short on fun these days," Yuna said sadly. "Whoa! Talk about pressure!" Tidus said, and I added "So that's why people take blitzball so seriously. Yuna nodded. "That's right? Is Zanarkand like this too?" she asked.

Tidus took a look around, examining the town. "Well, there are a lot more buildings. All tall ones, and cramped together," he replied. Yuna looked upward, blocking here eyes from the sun, and said "Oooh! They must be so tall! Don't you ever get dizzy?" Tidus laughed, and he asked "What about you Sofia? What was your home like?" I blinked and thought about it. "Well, San Francisco was by the ocean too, but it had a lot more buildings, and tons more people. And we were by some mountains, so there was fog a lot of time. I really liked it there."

"Do you ever want to go back?" Yuna asked. I shrugged; I had been asking myself the same question. "To be honest, I'm not sure. There wasn't much I had there when I left. With my dad having been gone for a decade, I wouldn't really have a lot to go back to. Let's just find Deiru and Sir Auron." They nodded, and we walked to the café where the sighting had been. I walked in and scanned the room, sighing in disappointment. "Deiru's not here," I announced. "Neither is Auron," Tidus told us.

Yuna went to talk with a few people, and I looked over only to reel in surprise. Kimahri was standing in front of two other Ronso, only these Ronso were even bigger than him. One of them, dress in green, pushed Kimahri in the chest and said "Why not talk, Kimahri? Not see Yenke for ten years. Say something! Kimahri forget Yenke? Forget Biran?" The other, Biran, said "Leave Kimahri, Yenke. Kimahri is small Ronso. So small can't see Yenke or Biran's faces." "Kimahri forget Ronso friends? We taught you much at time of horn-molt! Biran taught Kimahri to be strong Ronso," Yenke said angrily.

"Maybe taught too much," Biran suggested tauntingly. He lightly pushed Kimahri again, and Tidus said "Take 'em on!" "Don't let these two walk over you," I added. Kimahri moved into fighting stance, and at this Yenke laughed. Kimahri gave him a vicious uppercut that snapped his mouth shut and sent him toppling to the floor. The entire café gasped, and the owner called "Take it outside! The tournament's starting you hear?" Not listening, Biran gave Kimahri a punch to the face. Yuna called "The game!" and we all turned to look at the screen. On it was Maester Mika, offering a few words before the first match.

"Today, on this glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here to participate on this great contest of bravery, skill, and strength. All of these fine teams, equally renowned, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the spectators, play our role accordingly: Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valor of the defeated. Contestants, may Yevon be with you." Then Mika made the prayer sign, and the sphere began filling.

In the middle of the arena was a sphere, easily three houses in diameter and made of water, floating before all the crowds. Inside the sphere is the Aurochs, all taking position with Wakka in front. On the other side the Al Bhed Psyches did the same, with the front guy having blond hair in two spikes. The ball was in the center, and with a beep it launched upwards. Wakka and the other guy raced for it, the two of them almost reaching it.

I was watching this when Tidus said "Guys! Yuna's gone!" I snapped away from the screen and looked around. Sure enough, Yuna was nowhere to be seen. Biran gave Kimahri another punched, and he stood for a second before running out, the two of us joining him.

xxx

Oh dear, Yuna has disappeared! We all know who kidnapped her, but will it be easy getting her back?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.17 To the Rescue!

Kimahri, Tidus and I ran out the Luca café, looking for Yuna, only to run into Lulu on our way out. "Where in Spira have you been?!" she demanded. Without waiting for an answer, she explained "Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Psyches. In exchange for her safe return, they want the Aurochs to lose." I grit my teeth. "Dammit! How could I have let this happen?" I said. I knew it wasn't my fault, but it still felt that way. I was Yuna's guardian, how could I have let her get kidnapped?

"If they're only blitzball players, I doubt they'd do anything drastic," Lulu reasoned. "But we shouldn't take chances. Let's go get her." "I'm going too!" Tidus said, and I nodded in agreement. "This'll be no problem! They're telling the Aurochs to throw the match, as if they needed to. I mean, how could a team can they be?" "Wakka said the same thing. He'll focus on the match. In the mean, we go rescue Yuna. The Al Bhed boat was in Dock 4. Let's go."

With that piece if information we ran towards the docks, but on the way we came across a pair of blue robot, with rusted over bodies, one arm and a drill on the end. "Whoa! What are they?" Tidus asked. "Ancient machine salvaged by the Al Bhed. They are mostly vulnerable to lightning," Lulu explained. I nodded and drew Selini, charging forward. The machina on the left jabbed at me, but I dodged and stabbed into where its stomach would be. Before it could escape I twisted the blade, cutting into wires and circuits in the process.

The machina whirred and tried to stab me, so I jumped back and pulled my sword out. Lulu cast Thunder on it, a bolt of electricity hitting it and causing the machina to explode and fall apart. They other tried to attack her, but then Tidus knocked it back so Kimahri could move his spear cutting into the metal and tearing it apart. With those two gone we continued forward, only to have our path blocked by two machina.

"Out of our way!" I called, using Whirlwind Blade to destroy them both in one move. But once we went farther, near dock 4, yet another pair of machina appeared. "The Al Bhed were expecting us," Lulu remarked. "Then let's not disappoint!" Tidus called. He ran forward and slashed with Brotherhood while Kimahri did the same with his spear, creating an X-shaped cut in the machina's armor. Lulu fired another Thunder spell at the exposed wires, and the machina crumbled apart.

Then the other managed to successfully jab at Tidus, sending him back with a large bruise on his side already forming. I glared at the machina at threw Selini, my sword arcing through the air to stab into head. It whirred and flailed its arm, before falling on it back and not moving. After that no more machina showed up, and we all looked at the sphere screen to see how the game progressed. The score was 2-2. "_The Aurochs are keeping the score tied with some excellent defense folks!_" Bobba said.

Wakka grabbed the ball and looked around, only to see three of the Psyches swimming towards him. One tackles him harshly in the front, and the other do on each side. I winced, and Bobba said "_Ow! He'll feel that one in the morning!_" "_But the referee doesn't call the foul! Wakka's taking a real beating out there!_" Jimma commented. Tidus shook his head and pumped his fist. "Still in there!' he said defiantly. "He won't last long though. Wakka's always like that," Lulu said. "Ouch," Tidus remarked.

Lulu didn't say anything to this, and we continued to Dock 4. Once we got there we saw the boat beginning to leave, and we broke out in a run. Once we reached the edge we had no choice but to jump, and we landed on the deck of the ship. For a second nothing happened, until the floor in front of us slid open. A panel rose upward, and on it was a huge machina, the Oblitzerator. We all drew our weapons, and Tidus said "Hey, we can use this crane!"

He ran forward and typed in the command, but nothing happened. "Come on! Move!" he said. "It's probably out of power," Lulu remarked. "Okay. Lulu, you keep casting Thunder on that crane to power it up. Tidus, Kimahri and I will give you cover!" She nodded and placed her hands on the side of the crane, her hands crackling with electricity. The turbines on the head of the Oblitzerator spun, and out from it fired a barrage of blitzballs. I spun Selini and blocked most of them, but a few got through and hit me in the chest.

The blows didn't hurt, but they did knock some of the winded out of me and send me back, while Kimahri growled but managed to shrug off the blows. Lulu cast Thunder on the crane and I shuddered, but it only did so for a moment before going still. "Keep casting!" I called, while I used Water and ice, hoping to freeze the machina in place. But the moment I cast magic it shot a single ball at me, and when the blow hit I tried to cast magic, but I couldn't. I was affected with Silence.

Tidus ran forward and spun in the air, slamming his sword down in a Spiral Cut. Then Kimahri used his Overdrive as well, using his spear to launch himself upward before slamming down on the machina. The back-to-back Overdrives knocked it off-balance, and I used an Echo Screen before casting Water again. The spell splashed against its metal armor, but I willed the water to seep through the openings and get into its system. Almost immediately sparks began to spew outwards, and the Oblitzerator whirred in surprise.

It tried to aim at me but then I cast Blizzard on it, and the water inside its body froze, further damaging its circuits and causing it to jerk violently. Tidus slashed at it and it tried to hit him with Dark Ball, but its aim jerked at the last second and the ball went flying out into the ocean. Kimahri stabbed his spear into an opening and the monster spun around, trying to shake him off. But he held on, and the machina spun and used Blitzball Rush, firing out balls like a machine-gun and spinning around. I stood in front of Lulu and kept spinning Selini like a baton, holding off the assault.

Then there was a loud _zap_, and I heard machinery behind me begin to run. I looked over my shoulder to see Lulu standing there with a father satisfied smile on her face. "The crane… does it work now?" I asked, and she nodded. "Tidus! The crane's ready!" I called. He nodded and ran over, the Oblitzerator still spinning and firing out blitzballs while Kimahri held on. He typed in the command for the crane, and it rose and extended out slowly. Then it turned and lowered, and I yelled "Kimahri! Let go!"

He grunted and did so, ripping out his spear and tearing metal in the process. The machina sopped, not knowing why Kimahri stopped, until the crane grabbed it by its turbines and lifted it into the air. It kicked around uselessly, then the crane jerked and the turbines were ripped off, the Oblitzerator landing on the ground. It stood and twitched repeatedly, but without its turbines it couldn't attack at all. I smiled and attacked with Selini once more the metal now bending before my blade. Kimahri stabbed with his spear, and Tidus attacked with Brotherhood.

Lulu cast Thunder one more time, and the bolt directly hit the hole on the top of its head from where the turbines were removed. Then Oblitzerator shuddered and creaked, before exploding in a blast of fire, shrapnel and blistering heat. After the smoke had cleared the door behind it opened. An Al Bhed slumped against the wall unconscious, and Yuna stepped out. I smiled and pumped my fists together; mission accomplished.

Yuna and Lulu ran to each other, and Lulu said "I hope you hurt him." "A little," Yuna admitted. I ran to her and asked "You are okay, right? They didn't hurt you or anything?" She shook her head and I sighed in relief. Tidus walked around the deck of the ship, looking at it with a thoughtful expression. "What is it?" Yuna asked. "They were these Al Bhed that saved mine and Sofia's life when we first came to Spira. They took us on their ship, even gave us food. I was kind of hoping this was the same ship. But it's not," he explained.

"What happened?" she asked. "Sin came up near us and attacked the ship. Tidus and I made it out okay, but we never found out what happened to the others," I told them. "Um, was there anyone named Cid on that ship?" Yuna asked, this time hesitant. "I don't know. They were all speaking that Al Bhed language," Tidus said, and Yuna lowered her head. "I see." Now it was Tidus's turn to ask "So who's Cid?" "He's my uncle, but I've never actually met him. He became… distant…. After my mother married. But she told me to seek him out if I ever needed help.

Tidus nodded. "And you're worried he was…?" he trailed off. "Don't tell Wakka about Yuna's lineage. The thing about Wakka- he never had much love for the Al Bhed," Lulu warned. "Whoa!" Tidus said. "I gotta tell Wakka!" I raised my eyebrows. "Isn't that exactly what we just said for you to _not_ do?" I asked. Then Yuna gasped and said "The game!" "Oh!" Lulu said. She walked to the middle of the ship and fired a spell into the sky, where it flashed brightly.

Once we got off the boat we watched on the sphere screen as Bobba said "_Thirty seconds left on the clock folks!_" Then Wakka, who had floated until now, jerked up and waved at all the Aurochs to swim forward. "_The Aurochs are launching an all-out offensive!_" Wakka swam as well, going at high-speed and passing all the other players. The ball went towards him. "_A long pass from Letty… it goes through!_" Wakka swam as a defender went at him. He flipped over him and threw the ball. "_He shoots!_" My breath caught. The goalie tried to catch it, was too far away, and the ball went thorough.

"_Gooooooal! Unbelievable, the Aurochs win the game 3-2!_" Bobba said. I whooped, and Tidus said "We won!" "We did it! We're in the finals!" Yuna said excitedly. "Not the most… graceful win. If it was Chappu he'd still be standing," Lulu said. "Hey, aren't you being just a little unfair?" Tidus asked. "Excuse me?" she asked a fine tone of malice evident. "I know I could never take Chappu's place. Isn't that what you told Wakka? And I don't think Wakka would ever try to take Chappu's pl-" "You don't want to finish that sentence," Lulu said, saying each word clearly and precisely.

Tidus immediately held up his hands in surrender, and I smiled. Lulu was a great teacher and, underneath her stoic exterior, a kind person, but if there was one thing I never wanted to see it was her if she lost her temper. After that we all rushed back to the stadium, and me and Tidus walked into the locker rooms. A ball was rolling towards me, which I caught and spun on my finger. "Miss us?" I asked. Yuna walked in, and Datto called "Lady Yuna!"

"All of this, because of me…" Yuna said. Then she bowed her head kept apologizing "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Wakka groaned and asked "How could you let some Al Bhed kidnap you?" "Hey let it go, alright?" Tidus said. "Don't go near Al Bhed anymore okay? They're trouble," Wakka said, lying back down. Yuna and Lulu chuckled knowingly, and I smiled sadly. Yuna nodded to Tidus and me before walking out, and we turned to walk over to Wakka.

He groaned and sat up saying "The game starts soon. No time for warm-ups. You ready?" "Let us at 'em," Tidus said, and I nodded. "All right!" Wakka said, and he stood up to face the team. "I got something to tell you boys. After this game... I'm retiring. Win or lose, I'm quitting blitzball. But you... since we're here, we might as well win!" "Yeah!" they all cheered, and Botta asked "A-Am I on the bench?" Wakka shook his head and walked over, placing and a hand on our shoulders. "I'm warming the bench. He's taking my place," he said, before facing the team again and calling "All right boys, let's win this one! Let's make the Goers goners!" "Let's blitz!" Tidus said, and they all cheered.

After that we walked out of the locker room, and we all assembled in a circle before the door. We each placed a hand in the center, and Tidus said "All right boys, now what are we gonna do?" "Same thing we plan to. And what is that?" I asked. "Win!" they all yelled, Botta added "For Cap'n Wakka! The door opened and we all walk through, and I heard Bobba the commentator say "_This is it, folks! In just a few minutes, the championship game!_"

xxx

Oh boy, come next chapter is the game, and with it a horde of fiends! Will the gang be able to save everyone? How will they react to Auron's appearance. And will he show up alone? Stay tuned to find out!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.18 The Championship Match

After we heard Bobba say "_This is it folks! In just a few minutes the championship game!_" we all entered the sphere pool, but little did I know a pair of figures, one dressed in red and the other in black, were walking up the steps to take a seat. "_But who could have imagined a championship game between these two teams! Our very own Luca Goers going against the horrendously ill-fated Besaid Aurochs!_" Bobba said, and Jimma added "_This looks like history in the making Bobba!_"

Inside the pool we all swam to the center of the ring where the leader, Bickson laughed and Tidus stared at him seriously. Bickson swam forward and extended his hand, and Tidus was about to shake it, when Bickson pulled back and tried to punch him. The girl, Doram, laughed and I glared at her. "_They're already going at it folks! The Goers are taunting the Aurochs!_" The Goers swam back to take up their respective positions, and we did to. Before the ball was launched I gave the signal for Center Attack Formation.

Then the ball launched upwards, and Tidus and Bickson rushed upwards to catch kit. But as part of the plan, Tidus let Bickson get it first, who swam forward into Tidus, me, and Letty. All three of us tackled him, and he was unable to hold the ball, which Letty got a hold of. Both Tidus and I swam forward to the right while he did so on the left, passing the ball before he was tackled by Graav. The ball sailed through the water, and Tidus caught it to keeping swimming. But Balgerda tackled him and his grip on the ball faltered, allowing Bickson to come and steal it.

He swam at a quick speed towards our end of the ring, only to be tackled by both Botta and Jassu. I smiled; the two of them were possibly our best defenders. Jassu went in for a tackle and Bickson dodged, but that left him distracted from Botta, who hit him hard in the side. Botta grabbed the ball and quickly passed it to me, and I swam forward only to be stopped by Doram. She tackled me and I just barely managed to hold on, passing to Tidus before she could do it again.

Tidus caught the ball and kept swimming forward, not very far from the goal post. In a panic both Graav and Abus blocked him, but Tidus was ready for that. He smirked and punched the ball forward, knocking it into Graav before it bounced back, and he did the same for Abus. Now that both players were out of the way, Tidus spun in the air like a top before kicking the ball hard, completing the Jecht Shot. The ball sailed through the air and Raudy tried to block it, but he failed, and the goal beeped as the ball went through.

I looked up to see the score of the Aurochs changed from 0 to 1, while the Goers had yet to score. By now three minutes had gone by, leaving two left on the clock by the time we went back to our spots. I looked at Tidus, who was moving rather and silently asked him if he was okay. He nodded, but pointed to the goal post and shook his head, I understood the message- he wasn't going to be able to do the Jecht shot again for a moment. The ball launched upwards and Bickson once again caught it, the three of us rushing at him.

This time however Tidus couldn't tackle hard enough, and even though all three of us tried to block him he managed to get through. I started and signaled for an All-Out Defense, which the rest of the team quickly moved into. As Bickson neared the goal Jassu, Datto, Botta and Tidus all lined up in front of him. As one they all tackled and, as with almost any all-out defense, it worked. Jassu grabbed the ball and swam forward, the other Aurochs by his side, but then the Goers used an All-Out _Off_ense, and Doram, Graav, and Balgerda and tackled him, Graav grabbing the ball before quickly shooting.

The ball soared towards Keepa quickly and although he tried to catch it, it was too fast, and the ball went through. Even in the water I could hear the Goers fans roar, and I grimaced when I saw the scoreboard change to 1-1. We all went back to our original spots, but just as the ball launched there was a huge buzzer, and Bobba said "_And it's halftime!_" "_The Goers are just playing great Bobba. Really great_," said Jimma. We all swam back to the locker rooms, where Wakka was standing.

"Zone defense boys. Stop those Goers!" he said. "W-What should we do?" Tidus asked. "Get the ball and just shoot like crazy!" he replied they whole team said "Yeah!" "Shoot like crazy!" Tidus said, and I added "Like we lost our minds!" "All right, hustle!" Wakka called, and the team cheered once again. We went back out to the sphere pool to start the second half, the Goers doing the same. This time Bickson didn't offer any fake handshakes, and I sensed that this time they were serious.

For the second half I was in the front, and when the ball was launched it was me and Bickson who rushed for it. This I grabbed it, and signaled my own formation, Moving Fortress, and all the other Aurochs gathered around me. They assembled in a circle and we all swam towards the goal, the team holding off any assault. To retaliate all the Goers, save for the goalie, tackled all at once and manged to pull everyone away. The moment they did I swam full-out, trying to reach the goal in time. The rest of my teammates were holding back the all the Goers, and I reached the goal without any opposition.

I threw the ball up and tucked my knees in, wrapping the arms around them. I spun over and over like a ball, until I gained enough speed and stretched my legs out while I was upside-down. I kicked the ball with the back of my left foot, sending it flying towards the goal. Raudy managed to get a hand on it and the ball bounced back, but I merely repeated the move, this time with the ball's added momentum. The second time around it was too fast, and I scored a goal.

Now we were at 2-1, and that fact registered on the Goers expressions. We took our positions as the ball launched again, and this time when I grabbed the ball Bickson tackled me hard enough for me to let go. He grabbed the ball and hurriedly passed it Graav, who started forward with reckless speed. I signaled for an All-Out defense, but before we had a chance to assemble that way Graav was already at the goal post, shooting to score a second goal.

The Goers' fans cheered as the scoreboard changed to 2-2, and I grimaced. Now that they weren't sweeping the opposing team off the board, the Goers were going all out to make sure they won. As we moved into position I signaled for the team to stay in All-Out Defense, seeing the change in the Goers as reason for great caution. The ball launched upwards and Bickson grabbed it, passing it to Balgerda before I had a chance to tackle him. She swam forward until she was about to be tackled by Datto, and then she passed it to Abus.

He swam forward and I went after him, not planning on letting him get to the goal. Jassu and Tidus had the same idea, and they both tackled him hard enough to grab the ball. Tidus looked at me and pointed to the goalpost, and I nodded. He swam on the left side of the pool while I swam on the right, and every one of the Goers charged at him. He smiled and passed the ball to me, leaving me with no attackers as the went for him. Immediately they changed direction and went after me, and Tidus and I both swam toward the goal, passing the ball back and forth.

Tidus reached the goal before me and tried to do the Jecht Shot, but five of the Goers blocked his attacks, and even with knocking two down they managed to block the move. They swam back up to the middle of the ring, and the clock was at 3:00. The fans started calling out, and Bobba said "_The fans are getting impatient folks! They're calling for some action! The Aurochs' spirits are fading quickly. Are they going down without a fight?_"

Then the fans started calling out "Wakka! Wakka! Wakka!" and swiftly the number of them cheering swiftly grew, until it seemed the entire stadium was saying Wakka's name. "_Everyone seems to be calling for Wakka folks!_" I looked over at Tidus, who was shaking his head, and he looked at me. I smiled sadly and nodded, and he did too before we began to swim back to the lockers. "_Say, where are those players going? They're leaving the sphere pool! They may be injured!_"

Tidus and I went back to the locker rooms, and went in to see Wakka standing up. He didn't say anything, but nodded and walked out the locker rooms. I wasn't sad; it was their show. We both sat down on the benches and watched the game. Even on the screen we could hear the fans begin screaming, and Bobba said "_I wonder what's happening. The crowd is going wild!_" All the Goers and the Aurochs looked around, until Bickson turned around and saw Wakka swimming back into the pool.

"_Ah! It's Wakka! He's back on the field on ready to _go!"Wakka went up and gave a few members of the team a high-five. "_The Aurochs seem glad to have him back!_" I smiled as I watched, they would win this. Both teams took up their positions, and when the ball was launched Wakka grabbed it first. He swam with Aurochs alongside him,and the Goers rushed at him, still using an all-out offense.

Graav manged to get through and stole the ball from Wakka, only to be immediately tackled by Jassu. Jassu passed the ball to Letty who swam forward until he was about to be tackled by Doram, so he passed it to Datto. The Aurochs slowly made their way to the goal, passing the ball back and forth between each other. Then Wakka caught the ball and kicked it with Venom Shot. Both Abus and Balgerda tried to block it, both Abus missed and Balgerda got a hand on it, and Raudy manged to catch it.

The crowed groaned at this and Raudy threw the ball back in, passing it to Bickson. He swam toward the goal as fast as he could, and both Datto and Botta tackled him, knocking him aside and grabbing the ball. For the next minute the game continued like this, both teams trading possession of the ball back and forth, until the timer said 4:00. The crowd started crying out, wanting for one of the teams to score a goal. It was then that Wakka did something strange.

He signaled at the Aurochs, and they all swam away to float along the edge of the ring. I raised an eyebrow; what were they doing? There was only 30 seconds left! Then Wakka threw the ball behind him towards Keepa the goalie before swimming forward, who passed it to Datto on his left. Datto passed it to Botta, who gave it to Jassu, who gave it to Letty. I realized what they were doing. They were passing the ball around the edge of the ring to the goal.

The Goers realized this too, and they all swam after Letty, who stayed there for a moment before smiling and passing it to Wakka, who had swam up to the goalpost unseen. Even on the screen I could see the Goers looked panicked, seeing ten seconds left on the clock and Wakka holding the ball. He threw it up into the air before using Venom Shot one more time, kicking it towards Raudy. My breath caught, along with everyone else's in the whole stadium. Without anyone to help him the ball was going too fast for him to block. Raudy jumped, missed, and just as the block hit zero the ball went through.

I jumped and cheered, while the rest of crowd waved their arms and screamed. "_Unbelievable__! The Aurochs win, folks! This is one for the record books!_" The Aurochs all ran back from the pool to the locker room, yelling. "That was awesome, ya?" Datto said. "We won!" Letty yelled. I nod happily; we had finally won. Tidus saw that Wakka hadn't made it back and said "I'd better go see if Wakka's okay." We all nodded and he left, while the rest of the team talked about their victory. I felt great. After years the Aurochs had won the tournament, Yuna had been saved, and now I would finally get to become a guardian. There wasn't anything that could ruin this moment.

Fate took all of about three seconds to prove me wrong.

xxx

Yay, the Aurochs have won the tournament! But come next chapter things will take a turn for the worse, with the appearance of a new team member!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.19 The Truth

I was standing there, cheering and jumping happily from the Aurochs' victory, when suddenly even in the lockers I could hear people screaming. I looked on the screen to see dozens of fish-like fiends swim into the sphere pool. "Fiends?!" Datto yelled. "How did they get in?! I thought the Crusaders were on guard!" Letty called. Then the fiends surrounded Wakka and Tidus, who had no weapons!" "All of you, stay here where it's safe!" I called, grabbing both mine and Tidus's swords, along with Wakka's ball.

I rushed out of the locker room and through the door to the sphere pool, hurriedly swimming over to where Tidus and Wakka were. They had managed to hold the fiends back by punching any that came near, but I knew that wouldn't work forever. I unsheathed Selini and slashed through one of the fiends, not even waiting as it disintegrated into a cloud of pyreflies. I swam next to Tidus and Wakka and handed them both their weapons, and they nodded in thanks.

Then the fiends decided they were tired of waiting and swam forward. There were a total of two dozens, and we each went for eight. I cut through one fiend and stabbed another, but the next six all attacked me t once, biting into both my arms and my left leg. I spun in the air and shook them off, using my momentum to use Whirlwind Blade. That took off another three fish-fiends, leaving only threw left. I hurriedly used a potion on myself to heal myself, before I took a look at all the water around me and got an idea.

The sixth fiend swam at me and I cast Water, mentally trying to control all the water in the sphere pool. I was partially successful, and managed to create a swirling whirlpool that sucked all three of the fiends in, battering them with iron-hard water. The whirlpool actually drew in a few of Tidus' and Wakka's enemies, and I willed the current to spin faster and faster. The fiends hissed and screeched in pain, and then I cast Blizzard, freezing them all into one huge block of ice that fell straight downwards through the water and hitting the ground below the sphere pool, shattering and cutting them to shreds instantly.

After that Tidus and Wakka destroyed each of their enemies in rapid succession. We finished, and looked through the water to see an untold number of fiends rampaging through the stands.

xxx

(Point of View Change: 3rd Person)

Within the stands two people stood calmly as people ran around them in a panic. One was a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with black, gray-streaked hair and a pair of shades and brown eyes, one of which was closed with a large scar over it. The man wore a deep red robe blue lining that had a brown shoulder pad, while he kept his left arm tucked inside his coat and his right held a huge katana over her shoulder. The robe was held together with a large black-and-blue strap around his waist that went along with a black and gray shirt and set of pants and boots. At his hip was a jug that said "Nog" in Spiran script. The shirt's collar was large enough to conceal his mouth, and behind it his lightly stubbed faced showed a stoic expression.

Along side was a man physically younger, anywhere from twenty to thirty. He wore a simple set of a black sleeveless shirt that showed his muscular arm, with a set of black pants and black combat boots. His hair was the same color of his clothes, and while his left eye was a crystal blue the other was covered by an eye patch that also had a scar on it. He at his side he held a sword that was five-feet in length a foot wide, with a silver crescent moon on the hilt and blue and silver cloth around the handle.

The two warriors stood as people ran past them, getting away from two large fiend that slowly walked out into the open. They both glared at two men and growled. The man in red removed his left arm from his robe and stood firmly, poised to attack while the other lifted his huge sword and held before him with both hands. The pair of fiends charged at them, and the men cut them each down with a single swipe. Slowly the continued on, until Tidus, Wakka and Sofia caught up to them.

xxx

(Point of View change: Sofia)

As we caught up to the pair of figures, my breath caught in my throat, and Tidus called "Auron!" "Sir Auron!" Wakka said in awe. "So, you do know him," Tidus said. "Yeah, best guardian there ever was," he replied, before asking the one in black "And who are you?" Before he could answer I called "Deiru?!" and he stopped, looking back at me. He smiled. "Hello Sofia. Nice to see you're in good health," he said. Before I could respond a huge winged fiend rose up in front of us, stopping any conversation.

I charged forward and swung Selini, cutting it across the wing while Tidus did the same on the other side. It roared and tried to snap at us with its fangs, but Wakka used Dark Attack and blinded it. Auron then charged his energy and used a move called Power Break, which I read would make the fiend's attacks weaker. Deiru swung his sword overhead and gave the fiend a long cut along its chest. It screeched and tried to fight back, but it still couldn't see.

Tidus smiled and flipped over to the fiend, unleashing Spiral Cut. Wakka followed it up with Element Reels, the element becoming lightning. He kicked the ball, which hit it and caused electricity to crackle throughout its body. Unfortunately, the moved also caused the blindness effect to disappear, and the fiend shrieked and unleashed Sonic Wave, buffeting us with a gale-force wind and sending us back. Auron ran forward and cut it with his katana, the heavy blow dealing serious damage, and the fight ended when Deiru ran forward and jumped into the air, throwing his blade which stabbed into its back. It flailed around before it began to fall down below, Deiru grabbing his sword just in time.

That left one fiend down, but there countless others left to go. We kept running until were suddenly boxed in by another winged fiend, one of the one Auron and Deiru and cut down, and a dog-like one. "Hey, give me a break!" Tidus said. I grimaced and tightened my grip on Selini, ready to keep fighting.

Then else happened. I looked to see Maester Seymour walking to the edge of his seat and overlooking the stadium. He did the prayer gesture, orbs of energy spiraling around him. Above the sky turned dark and rumbled, a large anchor falling downward to smash a dark hole into the ground. It pulled back upwards, pulling with it an aeon that was a powerful as it was horrifying.

It head was wrapped in bandages, showing only one eyes, while its arms were bound to its chest and it wore a pair of blue-ish shells. The aeon let out an ear-piercing screech and its eye began glowing. It released the energy and I find in front of it exploded into pyreflies. It did so again and again, easily destroying fiends left and right. The fiend surrounding us were about to close in, and the aeon destroyed them all with a single blast. Everyone looked around in silence as awe as untold numbers of pyreflies flew around, and knowing that Maester Seymour had saved them.

xxx

` After Maester Seymour had managed to save the people from the fiends attacks Deiru had disappeared. However, I wasn't willing to let him go that easily, and I searched fir until I saw him walked by one of the docks. "Hey!" I called. He stopped and turned to look at me and I walked over to him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He looked at me impassively, even as I said "You've got a lot of explaining to do." "I guess I do," he said.

His words, and his expression, made me snap. "You're damn right you do! What was with me being swallowed by Sin?! Why did you know what Sin was?! What aren't you telling me?!" I yelled. He looked down at my fist clutching his shirt and he said "If you happen to let me go, then I'll explain things to you." I looked at him, silently saying that it had better be good, before I let go. He straightened his shirt and said "That's better. Now, what question would you like me to answer first?"

I blinked in surprise and thought about it, until I said "Why did you lead me to Sin back in San Francisco?" "A good question, and with a simple answer. Your father, Alexander, asked me to," he said. My eyes widened. "My father?! He disappeared ten years ago! How could you have known him?" I demanded. Deiru chuckled. "The answer to that ties in with the answer as to how I know about Sin. So, I might as well tell the story." He walked over and sat down on a wooden crate, and I moved one over to sit in front of him.

"Let's start at the beginning. You are aware that High Summoner Braska had two guardians, Jecht and Auron, correct?" he asked. I nodded. "That is, for the most part, true, but what was not known by many was that during the later parts of his pilgrimage, Braska had _three_ guardians. That third being Alex, your father." Again my eyes widened, but before I could say anything he pressed on.

"Originally Braska planned to have a single guardian, Auron. But before he set out Braska heard word of a man captured by the warrior monks, who claimed to be from Zanarkand. That man was Jecht, Tidus's father, and in return for being a guardian Braska promised Jecht he would take him to Zanarkand. He agreed, and as they left for Bevelle Braska and his two guardians traveled south, visiting all the temples that lay along there.

"Then, as the two of them passed by Bevelle as the journeyed back north, they heard that the monks had found another man, who claimed to be from another world. The three of them visited this man, who was your father. He claimed to have been taken from his world to this by something called 'Sin', and Jecht advised Braska to let him become a guardian as well. It took some time to convince Auron, but Braska accepted, and your father became Braska's third guardian.

"After that they continued the pilgrimage and traveled northward, your farther staying apart and ahead of the rest of the group, making sure no serious fiends came near." When Deiru said that I smiled. That was my dad alright. Sometimes you didn't see him there, but he _was_ there, helping along the way. "Because he stayed apart from the rest of the group, your father wasn't known to be a guardian of Braska's. Then after the four of them defeated Sin, Alexander asked Auron to tell me, since I was and am a good friend Auron's, to travel to your world and watch over you. And I have been there, for the past ten years, until Sin appeared, and I saw it fit to bring you to Spira."

Deiru was silent, and I spent a few minutes trying to absorb all this. My father was a guardian to Braska, who after they defeated Sin asked Deiru to keep an eye on me. Then, hesitantly, I asked the question I almost feared the answer to."Is my father alive?" I asked. His expression pained, and he said "Technically yes, he's alive. But like Jecht, he is no longer human. The previous Calm lasted ten years, but that is actually twice the normal length. That was because not one person became Sin, but two."

He looked at until the penny dropped, and stood and took a step back, flooded with horror and disbelief. "No..." I said weakly. Deiru nodded. "Yes. Not only is Jecht Sin, but so is Alexander." My mind couldn't process anything, unable to function from this revelation. Eventually I regained some cognitive function, enough for there to be room for denial. "No! There's no way, that's impossible. My father, become something that lives to hurt people? Never!" I yelled. "You may not believe it, but it is true. Follow me, and see for yourself."

Too numb to argue, I followed. We met up with Auron and Tidus, the second of which had the same shell-shocked expression as me. I guess he got the new as well. Without speaking Deiru and Auron nodded at each other, before they both walked to the edge of the city, Tidus and I following behind. I looked up to Yuna, Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri all there, looking at Auron in awe. "Yuna," he said, and she stiffened, saying "Yes?" "Both I and my companion Deiru wish to become your guardians. Do you accept?" he asked.

Yuna gasped, and Wakka said "You serious?!" "You refuse?" Deiru asked. "No, no!" Yuna hurriedly said, shaking her hands. "But, why?" Lulu asked. "We promised Braska," Auron said. "You both promised... my father?" she said, before bowing and saying "Thank you. Sir Auron and Deiru. Then Auron turned and grabbed us both by the shirts, pulling us forward. "And... they come too," he said. Tidus said "Hey guys... eh... howdy!" "These two, we promised Sofia's father and Jecht," Deiru said.

"Is Sir Jecht alive?" Yuna asked. Without looking at her Auron replied "Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years." Yuna's expression fell. "I... see." "You'll meet soon enough," he told her, and she said "Yes, I'm looking forward to it." Auron walked to talk with Lulu, while Tidus spoke with Yuna, and Deiru went over to talk with Kimahri. I leaned on a rail next to Wakka, and he said "Well, you finally got what you wanted. You're a full-fledged guardian now!" I smiled; I appreciated the cheerfulness.

We spent the rest of our time in silence, until the sound was broken by Tidus faking laughter. I whipped around and looked at him; what in Spira was he doing. Then Yuna joined in the act, the fake laughs eventually turning to real ones. They spoke a little more, until they turned and saw us all staring at them. "What are you looking at?" he asked. "We were just worried you might have gone crazy!" Wakka told him, and I held back a smile. "Sorry!" he said.

"Alright, let's go. Now we head to the temple at Djose. And guardians, don't forget to smile!" Yuna said.

xxx

Well, that was certainly an interesting chapter to write. But now you know what happened to Sofia's father, and the pilgrimage continues!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X of anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their owners.

Ch. 20 Mi'hen Highroad

The eight of us left Luca and began to travel along the Mi'hen Highroad, heading for the Djose Temple. But not five minutes after we started a fiend came before us. It was small, but into body was covered in a shell that seemed to be made of stone. Tidus drew his sword and said "Ha, this one looks slow!" "It's also strong. Let me take care of it," Auron advised. Tidus shook his had and said "No way, I've got this!" He charged forward and slashed, but his sword barely left a scratch on it. "What the-?" he said, and Auron chuckled. In one move he walked forward and slashed at it, his katana piercing its armor and feeling it instantly.

"Told you! Sir Auron's the best!" Wakka called. Tidus frowned and put his sword away, muttering "i could have done that..." I smiled, but didn't say anything. "What about you Deiru? What can you do?" Tidus asked. Deiru looked at him and said "Give me a large fiend and I'll tell you." After that we walked by a ruined building and I saw an old man with a white beard, glasses, a tall green hat, and a green outfit with a yellow cape. I was prepared to leave him alone, until he pointed at the building and said "Do you know what those ruins are from?" Tidus stopped and looked at it. "Some old city?" he guessed.

"Correct- a city most ancient. A terrible testament to Sin's power. I tremble every time I see it. Compared to Sin, humans are mere mudpuppies," the old man said. "But I also believe that humans are the only ones capable of defeating Sin," Yuna told him. "A good reply. I am relieved to hear you say that m'lady summoner," and he said, and Yuna started at the fact he knew who she was. "Where are my manners? I am Maechen, a scholar. At your service, m'lady.

"I am on a journey to study the history of our world Spira, seeking its mysteries and its secrets. My travels have take me to many places and I am troubled by what I have seen. Fragile smiles on people's faces crumbling at the mere mention of Sin. They are counting on you m'lady. Give them a reason to rejoice once more," Maechen requested. Yuna nodded and said "I will."

Once Maechen was done speaking with us we continued on the Highroad, only to be stopped by a trio of people riding chocobos. The lead one, a woman with red hair, asked "Lady Summoner, I presume?" "Yes, I am Yuna," she said. "I am Lucil, Captain of the Djose Chocobo Knights," the red-head said. Another one, with dark hair, said "And I'm Elma. We've been charged with guarding the Highroad." "There have been reports of a large fiend in this area with a taste for chocobos. Do take care Lady Summoner, if you are to rent any chocobos," Lucil advised.

"Thank you. We will be careful," Yuna promised. "We should be going back to our rounds. Take care," Lucil said, turning to leave. As they left Elma called "Our prayers are with you!" Once they were gone I saw that Tidus had a thoughtful expression on his face, and he said "A large fiend..." My eyes widened and I was about to say something when he called "Let's go after it!" I face-palmed myself and groaned, while Auron simply asked "Why?" "Because it's the right thing to do!" Tidus said.

"'It's the right thing to do'," Deiru repeated, and both he and Auron laughed. "What'd I say now?" Tidus asked. "Jecht said that a lot too. And whenever he did, it meant trouble for Braska and me," Auron told him, and the others smiled and laughed lightly. Tidus crossed his arms and looked annoyed, which I barely suppressed a laugh at. We continued on, only to be stopped a third time, this time by a woman and a young girl. "My Lady Summoner!" the woman called, and the girl rushed over. "You're a summoner?" she asked in awe.

Yuna crouched down and said "Yes. My name is Yuna." "I'm Calli," the girl said, and Yuna replied "It's nice to meet you Calli." "Lady Yuna, are you going to bring us the Calm?" Calli asked, and when Yuna nodded she cheered and began running in circles. "We are looking forward to another Calm, My Lady," the woman said. "I'll do my best," Yuna promised. "Good luck to you, and to your guardians as well," the woman said kindly. After that Calli waved at us before walking off with the woman, and Tidus asked "What's the Calm?"

"The Calm is a time of peace. It comes after a summoner defeats Sin, and lasts until Sin reappears," Lulu explained. Tidus looked confused, until Yuna said "Sin dies and is reborn." "I get it!" he said. "I mean, Yuna dad defeated Sin ten years ago. But Sin's still here right? Didn't make much since until now." But then it looked like a thought hit Tidus, and he said "But wait, if it just comes back..."

Before he could finish Yuna said "Don't say it isn't worth it! Because it is! Even for a little while, people can sleep in their beds without being afraid. That kind of time is worth anything, to give that to the people of Spira. Please, don't say it's not worth it." I blinked, surprised by these words, but I could see that they were the truth. We kept going, and after we spoke from a disciple of Yevon called Shelinda we learned the Crusaders were possibly planning conduct some operation using forbidden machina. Something I noted that Wakka had a big problem with, while Deiru and Auron didn't seem to care.

Then just as we were nearing the end of the road, a trio of Bombs appeared, red fireballs with sharp-toothed maws. I groaned; just when I was beginning to think we could walk this road in peace. I drew Selini and charged for, landing a hit that the Bomb didn't even try to dodge. I blinked in surprise, until I saw it swell up in size and cast Fire on me. "If it's hit three times it explodes. Be careful!" Deiru advised, and I nodded. Tidus however, didn't and charged forward, slashing at the fiend I had just attacked. It grew again, and one more time when he did it again.

The Bomb started to shake violently, and it flew toward Tidus before exploding. The blast sent him flying, and Yuna ran over to heal him. I shook my head and cast Blizzard with Lulu, the combined spellS dealing enough damage to destroy the bomb early. Then Auron slashed at the last one, with Kimahri following behind. The third one swelled twice, and Deiru gave it an overhead blow that dealt enough damage to destroy it. I smiled, more and more these fiends were proving less of a challenge. Deiru said "You're improving in battle. The role of a warrior suits you." I smiled happily but didn't say anything.

Finally we reached the end of the road, and we came across an inn that read "Rin's Travel Agency". "We rest here," Auron said. "But this is an Al Bhed shop!" Wakka protested. Both Auron and Deiru raised an eyebrow, and Auron asked "Is that a problem?" "They don't believe in Yevon, and in Luca they... They kidnapped Yuna!" Wakka reasoned. "Really? And where were her guardians during this?" Deiru asked. Wakka face-palmed himself and start whistling, while I hung my head in embarrassment.

"Sir Auron and Deiru are just concerned about your health," Yuna said. "I'm not tired one bit!" Wakka protested. "Well, I am," Auron said simply, and Deiru followed him. Not having much choice, we followed as well.

xxx

It was midday when we stopped to rest at the inn, and after probably an hour I managed to fall asleep. When I awoke I could see through a window that it was sunset, and I wanted to take a chance to walk outside and enjoy it. So I stood up, stretched, and went downstairs, only to find Tidus there. He saw me and said "Hey, Sofia. You get any sleep?" I nodded, and he said "I couldn't sleep at all. I ended up just tossing and turning in my bed." "That's because you have the energy of a squirrel that drank coffee," I said. He blinked and said "What's a squirrel?"

I reeled, until I remembered that there are no squirrels in Spira. Odd, but livable. "They're a really hyper animal from my world. Either way, I'm heading outside," I said. He went out with me, but the moment the two of us stepped out that door we froze, in awe. "Whoa... Check it out," Tidus said softly, and all I could do was nod. Not far from the agency was a cliff, beyond that the sea. The sun was just halfway below the horizon, and the light sparkled like diamonds against the crimson waves. I never seen a sunset so beautiful, and for a moment it took my breath away.

Then I saw Yuna sitting by the cliff, and the two of us walked over. "Whatcha up to?" Tidus asked. Yuna jumped, but turned and smiled when she saw the two of us. We sat down, and for a moment all three of us were silent, transfixed by the waves. Then I stood and said "I'm going to talk to Lulu. You two have fun talking." They nodded, and as I walked off I smiled. Yuna probably knew, but I could bet that Tidus had no idea that Yuna like him. Clueless.

I walked over to Lulu, and I asked "Hey, Lulu?" She turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" "You know how you taught be to use Water and Blizzard before we got to Luca, and that you would teach me Thunder and Fire afterward?" She nodded, and said "And now you're wanting to go through with that?" This time I nodded, and she said "Very well. But first, I want to see just how far you've come. She waved her hand a total of five fireballs appeared. "Hit every one of those with a Water spell, and the hit those Water spells with Blizzard. If you succeed, then you pass."

I nodded and moved to stand with my back to the inn, while Lulu willed the targets to assemble in the shaped of a circle, one that began turning. I frowned; moving targets would be a little harder. But still, I focused on water and a ball of it appeared it my hand, and drew my arm back to toss. For a moment I waited, until one target just neared the top of the circle, and I threw the ball. As it neared however, the wheel sped up, and my ball sailed right past. My eyes widened, and I will the ball to move back and hit the target.

The fireball disappeared in hiss and a small cloud of smoke, and I turned to look at Lulu. "You made that happen. You made the wheel turn faster so I would miss!" She actually smiled and said "What is a test without any challenges? Continue." I groaned, but turned back to the wheel and didn't say anything. That was the first rule of teaching with Lulu: No complaining. So I fired a ball of water again, this time making sure to hit the target even as it sped up.

Three more times I repeated this, and when I was done all the targets had been replaced with five balls of water. "Good. Now, use Blizzard to freeze the waterballs, and if you succeed I will teach you how to use Fire." I looked at her and smiled. "No problem." I summoned my power over ice, and began to one by one freeze the waterballs.

xxx

I wiped the sweat off my brow and sighed. It had been an hour since I finished up training with Lulu, and I was still exhausted. After I had frozen the waterballs I had to learn to cast Fire, and then I had to melt each of the balls of ice using Fire. From the looks of it I had frozen them _too_ well, and I spent the better part of an hour trying to melt them. I did it, but by the time I was done I was so exhausted that Lulu decided to end the session, saying that she would teach me Thunder next time.

I laid down and my bed and took off my boots and trench coat, too tired to take off anything else. I fell asleep, but as I did I smiled. At least now I knew a new spell.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.21 Save the Chocobos!

After I woke up from my deep sleep- yesterday's magic practice had left me sawing logs- I put on my clothes and walked downstairs, seeing Tidus talking to the owner the agency, Rin. He seemed alright, and Tidus was talking with him in friendly tone. I walked down and saw Deiru sitting at a table, wiping a cloth over his huge sword. "Morning," he said, not looking up. I grunted and sat down, trying to still wake myself up. It was done for me when I heard a girl scream. "Someone help! The chocobo!" she called.

Auron walked in and said "That's our cue. Let's go." Tidus said "Huh?" but Deiru and I were already standing. Deiru put the cloth in his pocket and said "Here comes that large fiend. Happy happy joy joy." I smiled and said "But once we do the chocobos are saved." He nodded in agreement, and when the three of us ran out Lulu said "To the chocobo corral!" And we all started that way. When we arrived at it though the ground rumbled, and I looked up to see the fiend on top of the corral.

It had blue-ish skin had a wide mouth, in which it had two purple tongues, with a pair of huge arms covered in muscles, one of which was clutching a chocobo. It jumped down in front of us, and the chocobo thrashed in is grip, managing to break free and get away. It growled in anger and turned to face all of us, each of us drawing our weapons. It swung at Lulu, who dodged the attack and countered with Fire.

Auron concentrated for a moment before using Power Break, decreasing the Chocobo Eater's strength. It pointed at him as if to say "You're next!" and after it dodged a ball from Wakka it swung at him with both fists at the same time. The double blow knocked him off-balance, and the fiend took the chance to shove us all back, nearing the edge of the road. "So we're to be pushed off a cliff then!" he said, and I nodded. I cast Water and froze it with Blizzard, but the monster just shrugged it off and punched at me, forcing me to move further back.

Wakka used Darkness Attack to blind the fiend, and then Kimahri slashed at it with his spear. The combine attack sent it onto its back, and Auron called "Attack now! Push it back!" we did, and while it was down the beast cast Blizzard at me, Yuna quickly casting Cure on me and NulFrost on the entire party. We continued attacking until I jumped back up, roaring and shoving at us again, sending us back this time. "We need something to really hit it hard!" Tidus called, and I had an idea.

"Hey Deiru! Here's a large fiend, like you said. Now's your chance to show us what you can do!" I called. He smiled. "All right, everyone stand back!" he said, and we did. He charged forward and the Chocobo Eater tried to punch him, but Deiru jumped over it and cast Fire, a silver ball of flame flying to hit it on the head. The beast roared and cast Blizzard, ice crystals forming around him and swirling in a deadly twister. But Deiru spun his sword around in a circle, countering with Thunder.

The bolt hit the fiend straight on the head, and I ran forward, swinging its fists with reckless abandon. Deiru was hit a number of times and sent flying, put he flipped the air and landed on his feet, but his left arms was limp and at an odd angle, broken. "Deiru! You okay?" I asked. He smiled. "I'm fine, this isn't anything. Just all of you watch one of my favorite tricks!" With that he cast Water and sent the wave along the ground before it swung upwards, sending both water and dirt into the fiend's eyes.

It roared and clawed at its eyes, trying to get the dirt out. While it did Deiru cast Fire, but kept the orb in its hand. Then he yelled "Blizzard!" and I coating of ice formed _over _fire, turning into a hemi-sphere with the fireball inside. Smiling, Deiru ran forward and jumped onto the Chocobo Eater's head, slapping the hemisphere on, the fireball inside starting to throb. As Deiru ran back the fiend finished wiping its eyes, and glared at him before it felt the ice block on its head.

It grabbed the hemisphere and pulled it off, but the ice on it caused it to stick to its hand, while the fire started to throb brighter and faster. It growled and tired to pull it off, but it stuck to the other hand. It tried repeatedly to get rid of the ice block, but by the time it almost succeeded it was too late, and the fireball exploded with the force of a claymore mine.

The Chocobo Eater was sent back by the force off the explosion, its face and arms severely burnt with it nearing the opposite cliff. "And I'll leave the rest to you," Deiru said, stepping back. We all nodded, and Lulu and I began casting magic while Tidus, Wakka, Auron and Kimahri went into with their weapons. The fiend tried to put up a last resistance, but once Tidus cast Haste on everyone it didn't stand a chance. All of them attacked at the same time, the combined force enough to knock the Chocobo Eater down and send it off the cliff.

"Yeah!" Tidus called, watching the pyreflies fly up from below into the sky. Yuna ran over and spent the next ten minutes healing everyone, checking the injuries and casting magic. Once they were done the chocobo ran around happily, while Rin and the chocobo attendant walked over. "Have you an interesting in renting any chocobo. As a token of our gratitude, this first time is free of charge. Please ask the attendant if you wish to rent," Rin said, and the attendant said "Thank you so much for saving the chocobos!"

"It wasn't a problem at all," Yuna said. We walked over to the chocobo corral and each climbed on top of one. The birds chirped and tensed up, before rocketing forward. I called "Whoa!" and gripped the reins tighter; these things were fast! The other thought so too, and Wakka said "These things keep going at this pace and I'm gonna hurl!" Deiru however, laughed into the heavens and over the wind "It's been too long since I rode a chocobo! Even better than a shoopuf!"

Before I had a chance to ask what a shoopuf was, the chocobo actually picked up speed and ran faster, effectively ripping the words from my throat. I held on for dear life as we rode across the rest of the Mi'hen Highroad, ending up at a large gate where they stopped. Yuna and I slid off and the world spun around me for a moment before steadying, while Wakka and Tidus ran over to throw up in a bush. Lulu, Auron and Kimahri looked unaffected, while Deiru jumped off and grinned excitedly.

"That was the most fun I've had in a long time! What do you guys think?" he asked. Tidus and Wakka answered this by throwing up a second time into the bush, while I said "The sensation… feels like it would take some time getting use to." Deiru shrugged. "True enough. But once you are used to it…" he looked off into the sky. "There's no better feeling." "You're insane," I stated simply. He looked at me and winked. "Maybe a little. But enough to further enjoy the thrills of life."

Not having a response to that, I walked around until I spotted Dona and Barthello talking to a guard. Instantly my eyes narrowed in distaste, and my hand began drifting to Selini at my waist. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm a summoner!" Dona said. "I'm sorry ma'am. No exceptions!" the guard stated simply. "You dare impede a summoner's pilgrimage?" she said threateningly. "I'm sorry ma'am. No exceptions," he repeated. "Useless!" she muttered.

I smirked and said "Aw, they not letting the high and mighty prude through?" Dona turned and recoiled. "You?!" she asked. "Me," I replied. "And what in Yevon are you doing here?" she asked hatefully. "Nothing much, just passing through on our way to the temple," I said. Now she smirked and said "Well, good luck with that. They won't let anyone who isn't a Crusader past that gate. You don't stand a chance."

I looked at the cart standing, along with Gatta and Luzzu, and said "We'll see about that." Gatta said "Gatta and Luzzu reporting sir!" Luzzu gestured to the cart and said "This is the last of them." Inside was a huge slug-like fiend that hissed and scratched at the sides. "Good to have you with us. Go on through," the guard said. I walked over and he said "I'm sorry, but I can't let you pass. You're guardians and a summoner right? Sorry for the inconvenience." I winced, but said "That's okay. Tell me about the operation."

"What, they didn't tell you?" he asked, and I shook my head. He explained "We're gathering sinspawn from all over Spira. Sinspawn inevitably draw Sin right? We're going to lure it into a trap!" I nodded, and said "And the Crusaders plan to destroy it using the forbidden machina?" He nodded. "This operation, called Operation Mi'hen, is a joint Crusader- Al Bhed mission. We Crusaders lure Sin in, and the Al Bhed use the ancient machina they've salvaged to destroy it."

I nodded and walked away, personally believing that the plan wouldn't work. "Aw, you couldn't get past either?" Dona asked in a taunting voice. I was about to snap at her when I saw someone walk towards us, and I smiled. "Down count us out just yet." Dona frowned and looked to see who me and everyone else were gathering by, and gasped when she saw who it was. Followed by two assistants, it was Maester Seymour.

Yuna and Seymour performed the prayer gesture for each other, and he said "So we meet again Lady Yuna." "Y-Yes?" she said nervously. He looked at her closely. "You seem troubled. Is there anything I can do?" he offered. "Well…" Yuna said, and looked behind her at the gate. Understanding he said "I see," and walked over to the guard. He saluted the maester and said "Maester Seymour! Allow me to show you to the command center."

"Hold. I have a request," Seymour said. "Yes Your Grace?" the guard replied. "I need to have Summoner Yuna and her guardians let through to the command center," he said. The guard was hesitant, and showed it by saying "But, Maester Seymour, sir." "Don't worry, I will take full responsibility," Seymour assured. This relieved the guard, and he said "Very well. They may pass." The guard walked to the side, and Seymour turned back to look at us. "It is done," he declared.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Yuna said, bowing. She did do even after he left, and Lulu said "Yuna, it's time to go." "Oh!" she said, looking rather distinctly embarrassed. I laughed, and Tidus looked rather upset, saying "Who does he think he is?" "He's a maester, better get used to it," Wakka said, walking off to join the others. As I followed I saw Dona looking at me with her mouth wide open, until I smirked at her again. Her mouth snapped shut and she glared at me, before she and Barthello turned and walked off the other direction.

xxx

Well, soon to come is the beginning of Operation Mi'hen and with it the Djose Temple soon to come!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.22 Before the Operation

Once we made it past the gate, thanks to Maester Seymour, we came across a squad of Crusaders, with said Maester standing before them. "All hail Maester Seymour!" they all said. "Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of all Spira! Believe in the path you have chosen, let faith be your strength! I Seymour Guado, Maester of Yevon, will bear witness to your deeds today!" "Sir!" they said.

Back with our group Wakka was starting to get agitated. "What's going on? Why's Maester Seymour backing the Crusaders, ya? They're using Al Bhed's machina! They're violating the teachings!" he said. "Even if it does go against the teachings, they're still willing to risk it for the greater good. Wakka, it think Maester Seymour realizes that too," Yuna said. He looked around, trying to find support, and said "Lulu?" "Hmm. I can only speculate," she said. "it doesn't matter what they use, I very much doubt they'll succeed," Deiru told him. "Ask him yourself," Auron suggested.

After that speech Seymour walked back to us, and for a split-second he look at me. When he did a chill ran up my spine, and I thought I saw anger burning in his eyes. Then he looked at Yuna and Auron, and the feeling faded. "Ah, Sir Auron. It is an honor. I would be most interested in hearing what you've done for the past ten years," he said. Auron replied "I've got nothing to say about it," and walked off. "I... see," Seymour said, before he turned to Yuna. "Sir Auron must be a great asset as a guardian." "Your Grace," Yuna said, bowing.

"Please, there's no need for formalities," Seymour told her. Wakka approached him and said "Excuse me, Maester Seymour? Why is Your Lordship presently... present... here, sir?" A smile curling at the edge of his lips, he said "Please, speak as you normally would." Wakka relaxed and asked "Doesn't this operation go against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?" "It's true, I should," he replied. "Should, but won't?" I asked, and he nodded.

"However... Both the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'hen was born from that wish they share. Although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado-the person, not the Maester of Yevon... As a denizen of Spira, I wish them well in their endeavor," Seymour explained. "But using machina... that's bad isn't it?" Wakka asked. To my surprise as well as everyone else's, he replied "Pretend you didn't see them."

We all gasped, and Wakka said "Begging your pardon but, that's not something a maester should say!" "Than pretend I didn't say it," Seymour told him, before walking off. "You're kidding!" Wakka muttered. "What kind of holy man encourages something like that?" I thought aloud. "Sofia, let me tell you one thing. Every being in this world, human, Guado, fiend, dead or alive- if there's one thing they have in common, none of them are 'holy'," Deiru said.

With that we kept going,and one of the Chocobo Knights, Clasko, said Maester Seymour had requested Yuna at the command center. So we headed in that direction, but once we reached the entrance we saw Luzzu and Gatta arguing close enough for us to hear them. "Why only you sir? I want to fight too!" Gatta said, but Luzzu shook his head and said "Orders are orders." "I'm not a cadet anymore sir! Let me go with you and I'll prove it too them!" Gatta protested. "Guarding the command center is important too," he replied.

Gatta wouldn't give up and said "But I came all the way from Besaid to fight Sin sir!" "I know, but orders are orders. To your post Crusader," Luzzu said firmly. "But sir!" Gatta said, but Luzzu didn't budge. Gatta stormed off, furious, and we walked forward. "They let you past too?" Luzzu asked. "We got through, with a helping hand in the form of a maester," I said. "Why are you guys even fighting? Aren't the might Al Bhed machina enough?" Wakka asked.

"They still need time to prepare. Our job is to keep Sin at bay until they're ready," he explained. Wakka was now seriously angry, and he turned away and crossed his arms. "Wakka... I might not get another chance to say this. It's about your brother," Luzzu said, and this made Wakka turn back around. Lulu gasped and said "Luzzu, no!" I looked at my friend and teacher, and both me and Wakka asked "What?" "I'm the one who convinced him... to enlist," Luzzu admitted.

Lulu gasped and hung her head, while Wakka walked forward. He was still for a moment, his expression unreadable, and he drew his arm back and swung, punching Luzzu in the face. Luzzu didn't try to stop him and fell to the ground, and before Wakka could do any more damage Tidus and I each grabbed and arm. "Wakka! That's enough, Wakka!" Tidus told him, and I said "Pull yourself together!" Wakka broke free and we stopped holding him, while Wakka looked down at Luzzu.

"When we played blitzball Chappu used to say, that after the tournament he'd propose to Lulu. But then one day, he goes off and becomes a Crusader, just like that, ya?" Luzzu started to get up, holding his face. "Chappu told me that being with his girl is good... But keeping Sin far away from her is even better," he told us. Wakka turned and said "Lu, you knew?" "Luzzu told me... before we left," she admitted. Luzzu made a small chuckle and added "She hit me too."

It was then that Lucil rode up on a chocobo and said "All Crusaders in the vanguard are to assemble on the beach!" before riding off. "That's my cue," Luzzu said, beginning to walk off. "Hey Luzzu! Don't die out there!" Wakka called. "Why, so you can hit me more?" he asked. Wakka patted his arm and said "Lot, lots more!" Luzzu looked at him for a moment before walking away, only to find Yuna blocking his path."Yuna!" I said, and it tried to pull her back, but she wouldn't budge.

"Sir Luzzu, please don't go!" she pleaded. "I have to Yuna," he said softly. "Let him go. The man has already chosen his path. As you did when you became a summoner," Auron told her. Her expression faltered, and slowly she stepped aside. When I stood behind Lulu I could swear I saw a lone tear fall from her face, but before I could look again she walked off, making me wonder if I had seen it at all.

We rode up the elevator that led to the command center, and as we got closer I saw some machina shaped very muck like cannons. Wakka walked up to one and glared at it, before he said "Curse these!" and kicked it. Unsurprisingly, the act resulted in a metallic bang along with Wakka exclaiming "Ow!" and holding his foot. "He really hates them, doesn't he?" Tidus asked. "Chappu... he left the sword Wakka gave him in Besaid, and fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon instead," Lulu explained.

"That's got nothing to do with it! I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions!" he called. I frowned and said "The machina have been around for a lot longer than Yevon if what I've been told is true. I really don't see how Yevon can prove machina are blasphemous if Yevon itself even forbids using and studying most of them." "They're blasphemous because using them is what brought Sin around!" Wakka called. I groaned and rolled my eyes; why in the world did I even try?

Once we made it all the way to the command center, a large tent inside of which was a table with two people over it, we saw the cart that Luzzu and Gatta had been with back on the Highroad. The back of it opened and the slug-like fiend inside jumped out, which they Crusaders guided into a cage with other sinspawn. "it won't work anyway," Wakka said. "Don't say that. It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon... But the Crusaders and the Al Bhed-they're doing their best to defeat Sin. They want to rid Spira of Sin forever. And that's just what we want, too, isn't it?" Yuna said.

When she got no reply she looked directly at Wakka and asked "Isn't it?" Wakka sighed. "All right, all right! But I still think machina are bad news! They're forbidden for a reason!" We heard Lucil say "Lady Summoner! There you are!" and we turned to see her run up to us. She pointed and said "The command post is that way. Maester Kinoc is also there." "Maester Kinoc too?" Yuna asked in disbelief. "Yes, please hurry my lady," Lucil said, before riding on to join the other Knights and Crusaders at the beach.

"Who's Maester Kinoc?" I asked Lulu, who said "Wen Kinoc is one the four Maesters of Yevon. His duty is to lead the warrior monks, and he also commands the Crusaders." We walked to the tent, and as we passed Gatta said dully "The operation will begin shortly. Please check all of your equipment." Wakka noticed his lack of enthusiasm and asked "You okay?" "Of course not! I cam to fight Sin! But they stick me here!" Gatta said angrily.

"If you want to prove yourself..." Auron began, and Gatta said "Huh?" He continued "First you must complete the tasks you are given." This surprised Gatta, and he hung his head, thinking. While the others walked I noticed someone standing almost hidden by the the tent, and my eyes widened. It was none other than O'aka the XXIII! "Hey!" I called, and he jumped when he saw it was me. "What are you doing here? No one but us and the Crusaders were allowed past that gate!" I asked.

He smiled. "Well my good dear I'm a merchant extraordinaire! In my time I've learned a few things, one of which being able to sneak past guards at some gate!" he said proudly, before saying "Now enough about me, what about you. Care to buy anything? And for that gil you gave me back on the boat to Kilika, I'll show you my prized product!" He pulled out a sword that was both burning on one side of the blade, and covered in a cold mist on the other.

"This beauty is called Double-Edge, capable of dealing both fire and ice damage to your enemies at once! What do you, about, 5000 gil?" I shook my head and smiled. "Sorry, but I'm kind of attached to Selini. But if you can give my sword those abilities there 4500 gil in it for you," I offered. O'aka accepted and took my sword, heading to a corner for a second and working on it, before he came back and handed it to me. "There you go," he said. I put my sword back in its heath, and when I did I felt both a warm heat and cooling chill run up my arm. I smiled and thanked O'aka, handing him the money and walking to join the others.

"Where were you?" Tidus asked, and I smiled and held up my sword. "Upgrade," I said simply. One of the Crusaders said "It is time at last. We must tell the Al Bhed waiting outside to begin the operation at once. The fiends may break through. This place is not safe. Make sure you're prepared to defend yourselves." The others readied their weapons ad I went over my list of spells: Blizzard, Water, and Fire. Once we were all ready we told the Crusader, Maester Kinoc walked forward onto a platform at the edge of the cliff.

"Will Sin come?" Yuna asked. "Sin always returns for its spawn. To make sure, we're going to encourage them to call out to it," the Crusader said. "You won't have to. It'll come," Auron promised him, and Deiru added "And we had best be prepared for the storm." I remember what Deiru told me back in Luca. Along with Tidus's old man Jecht, Sin was my father. Alexander.

Then Operation Mi'hen began.

xxx

Oh here comes a boss fight, and soon after the battle of the Crusaders vs Sin!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.23 A Failed Operation

All of us- Crusaders, Al Bhed, maesters, guardians and summoners- stood there as Operation Mi'hen began. The ground shook as the cage of fiends was extended out into the air, and then hit with a live current. The fiends in side screeched, roared and hissed in pain, thrashing around and hitting the sides of the cage, which were also electrocuted and added to the pain. Then the door smashed open and the fiends jumped out. Instantly we were all on alert, and as Seymour and the Crusaders went to fight other sinspawn one fell in front of us.

It looked like several of the other sinspawn had fused together, and it showed. It had two long arm that ended in shell-like membranes, with a slug's head and insect arms along its neck. Between its arms was another face with sharp teeth, and both heads hissed at us. We all took up positions, and Tidus ran forward to slash at the lower head. But when he did the arms covered so the shells were covering the head, and when Tidus slashed at it there was hardly a scratch.

"Those arms are in the way!" he complained. "That why don't we take care of them? Auron, Kimahri?" Deiru said, and they both nodded. Auron and Kimahri both ran towards one arm while Auron did the same with the other. Auron used Power Break and Kimahri used Lancet, while Deiru smiled and spun his sword over his head. His sword began glowing with a golden light, and he spun it faster and faster, until he threw it. The sword stuck into the ground in front of the am and exploded.

The blast incinerated the fiend's right arm, allowing me to recognize the move. Deiru's Overdrive, Blasting Sun. All of us stared at him as he went to grab his sword out of the ground, and when he saw us looking at him he frowned. "What?" he asked. We all looked away and saw Auron and Kimahri successfully cut off the other arm. It faded in a burst of pyreflies, and without anything to protect itself the sinspawn was wide open. I smiled and ran forward, but as I did its head began moving and shaking.

Lulu saw this and cast Thunder, hitting it straight on the head and stopping it from moving. I slashed at it with Selini, one side of the blade bursting into flame while the other was covered in subzero mist. As I attacked the sword cut through the monster's scales easily and I smiled; looks like that upgrade had done me some good after all. The fiend hissed and cast Demi, the gravity-force spell unleashing above us and dealing damage to everyone.

I grunted and continued attacking, while Wakka threw his ball and Tidus slashed with Brotherhood. The beast cast Demi again, and I grunted from the pain of the spell. Then both arms regenerated, and I wondered what we could do to give us a real edge in this fight. The head started moving again and Lulu cast Fire, and it hit me. "Yuna!" I called, dodging a swing by the sinspawn. She looked at me and said "Yes?" "I don't think you ever got the chance to use that aeon you got way back in Kilika." I smiled. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Yuna smiled and nodded, stepping forward while the rest of us, I included, backed away. She raised her arms out both holding her staff in front of her, which began burning with flames. She slowly spun the staff and the fire lowered to the ground, and when Yuna kneeled the flame spread to create a huge glyph. Then suddenly the ground below her rose, revealing a shape inside a ball of flame. The shape burst free and caught Yuna, landing and the ground and letting her go.

The aeon had a huge, muscular body, with long arms that ended in sharp claws, but with the legs of a goat and a canine face, accompanied by two huge black horns. Ifrit, the Aeon of Fire. "Please, help us," Yuna told him, and he nodded. The sinspawn moved forward and swung at Ifrit, but he dodged and cast Fire, the strength of his magic setting the right arm on fire. The sinspawn hissed and tried to bat at the flames, but that gave Ifrit the chance to set the other arm on fire.

The sinspawn screeched in pain, both of it arms burning away. Now that its body was open again Ifrit conjured a huge fireball in front of it, before knocking the ball to smash into its body. The force of the Meteor Strike knocked the sinspawn off-balance, and then Ifrit decided to activate its Overdrive, Hellfire. He jumped and created two balls of flame, which he threw towards the sinspawn. When they hit they created a huge pillar of flame that sent it up into the air.

Then Ifrit shot another fireball at it while it was still in the pillar, and the aeon landed on the ground. Wanting to deal that one last bit of damage, Ifrit dug its claws into the ground and heaved, ripping a huge part of the ground up and throwing until it hit the orb of fire the sinspawn was in and exploded. Both of them landed on the ground, the sinspawn covered with burns and its head blackened and unmoving. I smiled; we wouldn't be having trouble with that soon.

Yuna dismissed the aeon and we stepped forward, just as the arms regenerated. I grunted and cast Blizzard on one while Deiru cast Fira and Auron and Kimahri attacked the other arm. Our combined magic destroyed one arm, but before the other could be as well the sinspawn screeched and charged forward, swinging at everyone. It hit Tidus and knocked him away while deflecting Wakka's ball, hitting Auron and Deiru aside and attacking Lulu and Yuna.

I ran forward to try and protect Yuna, but once I got close the fiend spun around, hitting Kimahri away in the process, and tried to smash me. I closed my eyes and held up Selini, intent and using Whirlwind Blade to stop the assault. Then something else happened, and my eyes snapped open. My sword was covered in a twister of fire and ice shards, and now it was thrumming with energy. Not even thinking, I spun my sword in front of me like a fan before jumping up and pointing it at the sky.

The fire and ice fired into the clouds, which shifted and rumbled before opening, showering a storm of razor-sharp ice shards on the fiend. It hissed and screeched, the shards cutting into and burning its skin, and I saw to my surprise that not only were the shards razor-shape, they were on _fire_. The storm of burning ice crystals rained down on the sinspawn relentlessly, who fell to the ground stopped moving, numb from the pain. It stopped once the fiend was dead, and I looked at my sword.

"What did I just do?" I asked, and Deiru smiled. "When that O'aka upgraded your sword he must have accidentally unlocked a new Overdrive. Firesnow," he said. Then he looked out to see and his smile faded. "And we might need to use it again soon." We all looked to see a huge shadow looming out in the water, but I knew what that shadow was. Sin.

Sin rose out of the sea, and on the beach we see Lucil yell to the Crusaders and Chocobo Knights "Charge!" The Al Bhed fired their cannons and pelted sin with blast, which knocked away countless pieces of its hardened skin. When I looked closer I saw that the skin had turn to fish-like fiends, which swan forward towards the Crusaders. The two of them are engaged in battle when Auron suddenly yells "Look out!" Sin dropped its outer skin and created a barrier around itself. Then the barrier fired outwards, hitting the Crusaders and fiends both, and disintegrating them.

The barrier continued to move outwards, destroying everyone and everything. It hit us and scattered us all to the wind, while I hit my head on a rock and blacked out.

xxx

Once I woke up I did so slowly, aware of throbbing pain in the back of my skull. Quickly I pulled a Potion out of my pockets and rank it, the throbbing ache lessening somewhat. I looked to see that I had landed right next to Yuna, who was also slowly starting to wake. She saw me and smiled, before looking forward and gasping. I looked too to see the Sinspawn Gui up and fighting again, only now it was being held back by Maester Seymour. We both looked to the side to see Auron and Deiru, who nodded at us and ran forward, while we joined with Maester Seymour as well.

"Stand back, Lady Yuna," he said, and she replied "Y-Yes." The sinspawn swung again, only now at Seymour, who dodged and cast Thundara, a huge bolt of lightning blasting off one of its arms. Auron, Deiru and I hacked away at the other, while the head cast Thunder. Yuna blocked the attack by casting NulShock on everyone. With a huge swing of his katana Auron cut the other arm off, and with it being open I cast Fire while Deiru slashed with his huge sword.

The beast hissed and its head starting moving, but Seymour cast Blizzara. The ice created a pillar that encased the head, and by the time it broke free the head was black with frostbite. Slashing at the fiend and following it up with a Water spell, I smiled; this time around the sinspawn was a lot weaker. Its arms regenerated and Seymour instantly destroyed one, incinerating it with Fira. Auron used Power Breaker and I cast Blizzard, destroying the other arm for Deiru to stab at the body.

The beast flailed and cast Demi, cutting all our energy by a quarter and giving it some breathing room. Not in the mood to let the fiend keep it, and slashed at it with Selini, and Seymour ended this fight with Waters, literally drowning the fiend in his spell. It writhed in pain and fell to the ground, turning to gray dust that fell apart and flew away on the wind.

We all stood there breathing heavily, except for Seymour, until Yuna gasped and said "The others!" We both ran to the cliff and looked, seeing Sin continuing to attack. The tower of a huge Al Bhed machina powered up, and after a moment of the controllers probably aiming it fired a blast of energy and electricity. The blast hit the barrier and pushed against it, and Yuna held her hands in prayer. The barrier began pushing back, against the beam and toward the tower.

The blast went to full power and began to make a dent in the barrier, before the barrier itself jabbed forward and sliced the tower clean in half. The beam stopped, the machina it came from exploding, and began to crumble onto the Crusaders and Al Bhed around it. Sin turned and began o swim away, while both Yuna and I looked in shock. It was impossible, nothing could just destroy everyone that easily, but apparently that thought was wrong. Sin can.

I looked around the wreckage to try and find any survivors, and I saw Tidus walking around the beach below. "Yuna, look!" I said, pointing. She did and gasped, and we watched as Tidus kneeled next to what I think was Gatta. Then he turned and saw Sin submerge itself before swimming away, and he jumped into the water and chased after it. I blinked; what was he thinking? Yuna yelled "Everyone stand back! I'll summon!"

"Yuna, don't!" I told her, and Seymour called "You won't hurt it!" She looked at both of us, and Seymour said more gently "You powers are still… too weak." "But I must do something!" she protested. Yuna began to twirl her staff, and Seymour said "You can't!" I stopped her and she looked at me. I smiled sadly and said "Save it for the Final Summoning. Right now, being sent to the Farplane is what these people need." She looked like she wanted to protest, but then she thought about my words and nodded, walking away to perform the sending.

xxx

Well, there goes Operation Mi'hen, with the Djose temple and a new aeon not far away!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.24 Djose Temple

Down on the beach we all either sat or stood while Yuna performed the sending, pyreflies dancing through the air. Deiru may have been right; I thought I could sense a presence inside Sin. Not just one presence even, but two. And if one of them was Tidus's father Jecht, then the other would have to be… "Alexander," Deiru said who was standing next to me. I looked p from where I was sitting. "What?" I asked. "Alexander is Sin. Much like Jecht for Tidus, Alex came for you," he said.

My jaw dropped, and I nearly yelled "He kill countless people just so he could get to me?!" "That's what Sin does- it kills people. Alex wanted you to see that. Do you want to know why?" Deiru asked. Although I had a feeling I wouldn't like the answer, I nodded. "He wants you to destroy him and Jecht," he told me. I was stunned. Me, kill my own father? "No way!" I said, and Deiru sighed. "I had a feeling you would say that. Unlike Tidus, you keep your father in good memory. But despite that, he wants you to stop him from killing."

"How do you even know all this?" I asked, and he didn't answer, but walked away. Grunting from frustration, I walked to the road until I saw Yuna with Seymour. "You do not look so well. But now more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence," he said. I looked at Yuna and was thunderstruck; she looked like she was about to cry. "Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you… are a summoner. You are Spira's hope.

"Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. Do you understand?" he asked. Yuna nodded, and he asked "Are you afraid?" Despite being almost at tears, she managed to smile at him. "Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength. As Lady Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon. Lady Yuna, until next we meet, farewell," Seymour told her, and walked away. Yuna performed the prayer gesture before turning back to us, and as she walked off Tidus, Kimahri and I trailed behind.

Yuna was managing to be in a good mood, and called "Hey you three! Hurry up!" "She's acting awfully cheerful," Tidus commented, and I nodded. Kimahri was silent for a moment, until he said "In dark times she must. She must shine bright." Tidus gasped and I blinked in surprise; that was the first time I had ever seen him talk. "Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard," he said. "We should help," Tidus suggested, but he shook his head. "If we worry, she tries harder. Do not frown." "Don't worry, be happy?" he asked in disbelief.

"Kimahri try too," he said. That was too good to miss, and when Tidus said "Smile! Let me see!" I nodded in agreement. Kimahri tried to smile, but it came out more like the face a cat makes when it's about to hiss. "Sad…" we both muttered. After that we walked along the Djose Highroad, the road empty of fiends save for a few snake-like ones. They were able to petrify a few of us, but a couple of Soft's and my new Overdrive Firesnow took care of them easily.

Once we reached the end of road there was a fork, and Tidus called "Hey! How much longer till Zanarkand?" "Still a ways," Wakka told him. "First we cross the Moonflow to the Guado city of Guadosalam. Then we cross the Thunder Plains to the temple of Macalania," Lulu explained. "Oh boy," he said, and Yuna giggled. "And before that, we get to pray at the temple in Djose!" "We can't just skip all that can we?" he asked, and we all shook our heads.

"I have to pray at every temple in Spira in order to receive the Final Aeon," Yuna told him, and Wakka explained "That's a summoner's training. She's got to prepare mind and body, all just to get ready for the Final Summoning." "Must be tough Yuna," he said, and she giggled again. "I'll be fine with you here," she said, and walked down the road to the right. Tidus went "Huh?" and kept walking, while I smiled and shook my head. He had no clue, huh?

As we walked Deiru came beside me and said "One word of advice: Don't tell Yuna that your father Sin." I raise my eyebrows and asked "Why?" "You know her. Her whole purpose as a summoner is to destroy Sin. Now imagine how she would feel if she found out that the one who's Sin is your father? How much she would pull away from you?" he told me, and I thought about that. Eventually I nodded, and said "All right; I won't."

As we walked we near the temple, and found Captain Lucil, Elma, Clasko with a single chocobo. "Yuna, it is good to see you and your companions are well," Lucil said. "Yourselves as well Captain. We were worried. Praise be to Yevon!" "We survived with your our lives, but our troops were decimated," Lucil said sadly. "Of all our chocobo, only this one made it," Elma said, and said chocobo chirped. "We make pretty poor Chocobo Mounted Forces with chocobo," Clasko pointed out.

"We turned our backs on the teachings and cast away our faith. This… this is our just reward," Lucil said. We walked on, the fallen Chocobo Knights wishing to be alone. As we neared the temple I saw a huge pillar of stone with a door in the front. Tidus said what I thought, asking "Is that the Djose temple?" The others nodded, and as I walked forward the ground began shaking. "What the-?" I said, before a blue bolt of lightning shot out of the top and the stone pillar exploded.

Rocks flew around the real temple, immune to gravity as electricity shot from one boulder to another. "What in the world is going on?" I asked. "The Lightning Mushroom Rock. It only opens when a summoner is addressing the fayth," Lulu told me. "Then another summoner must be in there," Wakka said. "Another summoner?" Yuna asked, and Tidus added "What if it's Donna?" At that I growled and my hand crept over to Selini. "If she is, then it would be in her best interests to stay out of our way," I said.

"We have to hurry," Yuna said. Tidus agreed and said "Right! In we go!" With that we all walked inside, finding the inside of the temple to be not that different from the other, only in this one had a quartet of poles, the tips of which held orbs of raw electricity, while a group of small monkeys jumped and swung from the statues of the High Summoners. I stopped and looked around, admiring the scenery. The place was obviously a temple of lightning, and the sight of it only reinforced my desire to learn Thunder.

The door to the Cloister of Trials opened, and a trio of people walked down. One was a young man wearing a blue and green robe with his short brown hair pulled into a ponytail, another was another young man, only his skin was darker and more muscled with armor on his left side. The last was a young kid, with black hair and dressed a robe-like shirt with green pants. The three of them stopped in front of us, and the one with the robe said "I beg your pardon but, may I ask your name?"

"I am Summoner Yuna, from the isle of Besaid," Yuna said formally. "As I thought! The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father," he said, and Yuna blinked in surprise. "My father? You knew him?" she asked. "No, I have never met the man. My apologies, I am Issaru," he said. The kid jumped up and said "I'm Pacce. Pleased to meet you," and the dark one added "And I'm Maroda. I'm guarding my big brother here."

"Since I was a child I always looked up to Lord Braska. I wished I would always become High Summoner like he was. You must have some of your father's talent in you! I believe you night someday defeat Sin," Issaru complimented her. "I… I'm not really… I've only just become a summoner," she told him. "Of course, I have no intention of losing either. So, let's make it a race, shall we? The first to defeat Sin is the victor," Issaru suggested. Yuna started in surprise, but she nodded and said "Very well, I accept your challenge."

"Issaru!" Maroda called from the exit. "Yuna, I beg your leave. Good luck to both us!" he said, performing the prayer gesture. Yuna did the same, and said "Yes." I smiled; Yuna had to be in pretty good spirits to accept a challenge like that. Maybe she was fine after all. We walked up the steps to the Cloister of Trials, and as the others entered we heard Issaru call "Hey, you two!" Tidus and I stopped and turned back, seeing the three of them had come back.

"Us?" Tidus asked, and he nodded. "The two of you are Yuna's guardians, right?" he asked, and we nodded. "Maroda had heard a curious rumor. I thought you should know." Maroda said "I heard it from those Crusaders. It seems that summoners have been going on pilgrimage and just… disappearing." "It could be that the fiends got to them, but not so many so quickly," Issaru said. "Sorry we don't know more but watch your backs. Not much of a future for guardians without a summoner, eh?"

I nodded in agreement, and at that moment Pacce came up to us and asked "What? What? Whatcha all talkin' about?" "We're talking about doing your job as a guardian!" Maroda said. "Hey, I'm doing good! Right, big brother?" Issaru smiled at him and nodded, and the three of them left. Tidus and I walked back to the Cloister of Trials, and I thought about that rumor. In a very short amount of time a very large number of summoners have been disappearing. It couldn't be the fiends, but then it would have to be… what?

The entire group entered the first room of the Trials, and Wakka called "Alright, guardians at attention!" "We're ready!" Yuna said, and I smiled confidently. "Let's do it!" he said, and we all walked forward.

_(After the Trials…)_

Once we had completed the Trials we walked into the antechamber, while Yuna went inside the Chamber of the Fayth. "Well, what do we do now?" I asked. "Simple. Pick spot, shut up, wait," Kimahri said. I frowned, but walked over to the side of the room and was about to sit down. That was, until Dona and Barthello walked in. Instantly I shot to my feet and my hand reached for Selini. "What do _you_ want?" I asked. She looked at me with distaste. "Well well, you again. Still traveling with quite the crowd I see."

"Yeah, what of it?" I said angrily. But then her guardian Barthello walked towards Auron, and she asked "What is it Barthello? You know this riffraff?" I bristled at the insult, but before I could say anything Barthello asked "You are… Auron, no?" "What of it?" he replied. Barthello flexed his muscles and said "Can… I shake your hand? Auron- no, Sir Auron. You're the reason I became a guardian!" Auron laughed and extended his hand, and Barthello wiped his on his pant leg before shaking.

"Thank you sir! This means so much to me!" he said, and I smiled. At least one of them was nice. "Calling the personal guardian to Lord Braska riffraff?" Wakka called. "And you call yourself a summoner?" Lulu asked. The lightning from below kicked up a notch, and I smiled. "Yeesh!" Tidus said. "Barthello, enough! Get back here!" Dona said. He did, and I said "Looks like Yuna's guardians aren't as bad as you thought, huh?" Barthello nodded, but Dona glared at me with a burning anger which only made me smile wider. After that I went and sat down, waiting for Yuna to come back out of the Chamber of the Fayth.


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

**Notice: It looks like the family situation has been, somewhat, dissolved, so now i will be able to update and weekdays again! Hooray!**

Ch.25 Sisters

We all waited for Yuna to come out of the Chamber of the Fayth, and Dona said "She sure is taking her sweet time, isn't she?" I glared at her and said "She made it here before you, so be a real adult, shut up, and wait." She glared back at me and I didn't look away, let my dislike for be plainly visible. That was until the door to the Chamber opened, and Yuna staggered out. She fell to her knees and I was instantly by her side, helping her up.

"You own much to your father," Dona told her, stepping in front of her. "All these guardians… and Sir Auron too? And I hear Maester Seymour's quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of Lord Braska." "This had nothing to do with my father! I'm traveling on my own as a full-fledged summoner!" she said firmly. Dona glared at her too. "Oh? Then try standing on your own two legs for once!" Yuna looked at her and began trying to stand, and I helped her to her feet.

She staggered for a moment for standing straight, but by then Dona had turned away. "Your guardians won't be able to protect you when the time comes!" she said, before leaving. For a second no one said anything, until I looked at Yuna and said "Don't listen to what she says. She doesn't even like you anyway." She nodded, and managed to smile at me. "Thank you Sofia," she said, before walking to leave. We all followed, and everyone but Yuna made the decision to go to sleep.

Instead she walked back to the beach, and I followed. Along the way she saw me and said "There's no need for me to have a guardian right now. I'm just going to perform the sending." I smiled. "Thanks for the generosity, but I actually want to see you perform the sending. As sad an event it is, the sight of it kind of fascinates me." Yuna looked me at me, surprised, but nodded and continued. We made it back to the beach where all the fallen Crusaders were, and once again I was stopped by the sight of so many bodies.

"This is the power Sin," Yuna said solemnly, and I nodded. She walked to the center of the beach and held up her staff, spinning it and herself in the first steps of the sending. Without even thinking I began singing the Hymn of the Fayth like before, and at that the pyreflies began emerging. The gathered around Yuna and began move in I circle, following her as she danced. But then, to my surprise, a number of the pyreflies began to move towards me as well.

My singing faltered, and when I did that they began to move away, so I resumed. The pryeflies that weren't surrounding Yuna surrounded me, and I was at a loss as to why. Then I heard whispers, voices that seemed to be coming from the pyreflies themselves. Then Selini started to shake and vibrate against my hip, and somehow I knew that it wanted to be drawn. So I released my sword and held in front of me, the act actually causing the pyreflies to spin around me faster.

Then suddenly, they flew towards me sword and went _into_ the blade. I froze, my singing stopped, and a series of images flashed before my eyes. I was riding towards Sin on a chocobo, I was in the tower of the Al Bhed machina weapon, and then I was being punched in the face by Wakka. The last image made me realize I was seeing some of these spirits' last memories, that one with Wakka being Luzzu's spirit I was seen. Without even thinking I raised my sword above my head, turning my body around in a circle while I spun my sword above me.

Yuna didn't stop performing the sending, but looked at me with surprise. I didn't even know what I was doing; all I was seeing was more and more images from the fallen Al Bhed and Crusaders. I kept spinning y sword, only in front of me, and the pryeflies spun around with it like a twister. All this time I never stopped singing the Hymn of the Fayth, and that just made more of the fallen spirits gather around me. Then I said "Rest in peace," and got on one knee, stabbing Selini into the ground.

The pyreflies glowed brightly for a second before fading away, and I panted from a sudden exhaustion. The ones around Yuna disappeared too, and she ran over to me. "Are you okay?" she asked. I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just what exactly happened?" Yuna was silent for a moment, until she said "I think… you just performed a sending."

I blinked in surprise. "A sending?" I asked, and she nodded. "That's impossible. I don't even know how to do it. And isn't the sending something only a summoner can do?" "Summoners are usually the ones who perform the sending, and they are trained to do that alongside summoning aeons. But it's possible to learn one without the other," she explained. "So what? I just instantly learned how to perform a sending? How?" I asked. "It could be that the pyreflies were showing you how, because they wanted both of us to send them to the Farplane."

I thought about that and looked at my hands. Without even meaning to, I had learned how to perform a sending, and succeeded. More pyreflies began appearing around us, and without knowing how, I knew they wanted to be sent as well. "Well, no sense in letting something like this go to waste," I said, pulling my sword back out of the ground and walking toward the center of the beach.

Yuna followed and stood a few feet away from me, and as one we continued the sending.

xxx

The two of us continued for hours; the number of people dead was unreal. By the time Yuna and I finished the sending it was well after dark, and we were both exhausted. The last of the pyreflies disappeared, sending to us nonverbal thanks. Yuna smiled at me and said "You did well for your first sending. I haven't done it myself long, but you kept up well." I smiled and said "Thanks," but then Yuna suddenly fell to her hands and knees, breathing heavily.

"Yuna?!" I asked, drooping to my knees to look at her. "Are you alright?" I asked worriedly. "I'm fine… just… tired," she said, panting. I nodded; it made sense. Performing a sending for hours on end right after receiving a new aeon would have to make even the best summoner tired. Despite my own exhaustion, I helped Yuna to her feet, and then suddenly picked up and started carrying her bridal style.

She shouted in surprise and held on me tightly, while I began to walk back to the temple. 'Sofia, what are you doing?" she asked. I smiled. "You're even more exhausted than me. I'm taking you back to the temple so you can get some sleep." "I appreciate the concern, but I can walk fine on my own!" she protested. I shook my head and smiled wider. "You just did try to stand up once we finished. And nearly keeled over. Don't worry about it; I can carry you all day."

Yuna was about to protest further and when I readjusted my arms, and her arms hastily wrapped around my neck for support. "See? Let someone else take care of you for once," I said. After that she didn't protest, and I carried Yuna back to the Djose temple. Once inside I noticed that at night the temple was unusually quiet, and I could hear Tidus snoring from the room on the left. Yuna giggled at the sound and I smiled, carrying her to the room on the right. Once inside I noticed that the bed was freshly made; I guess the temple priests guessed they would have some guests.

Gently placing Yuna on the bed, I walked over and hung my coat on a hook before pulling off Selini and my belt, laying them against a chair. "Aren't you going to sleep?" Yuna asked, seeing that I had just sat down in the chair. "I will eventually. But for now I'm going to keep watch over you," I told her. Propping herself up on one arm, Yuna said "Sofia, can I ask you a question?" "You just did, but fell free to ask another one," I answered. "Why are you being so nice to me? I'm really thankful and do appreciate the generosity, but why?" she asked.

Blinking in surprise, I leaned back into the chair and thought about it. Why was I being so nice to Yuna? We were friends, yeah, and besides that I was her guardian, charged with protecting her. But I was being even nicer than that called for. Why? Neither of us spoke for a while, me trying to come up with an answer, and Yuna giving me time to.

"I guess…" I said slowly. "I guess it's because I want to be close to you. I've had a few friends before, but that's all they ever were: friends. But I've been with you ever since I came to this world, and I've really started to like being around you. You're almost, maybe, like a sister to me," I admitted. Yuna blinked in surprise and gasped, being silent for a while. I didn't say anything either, afraid that I may have said too much.

"I've… never had a sister before," she told me. "Lulu was the closest thing I ever had to it." I smiled. "Lulu's a good person. Stoic sometimes, and more logical than she is emotional. But I can tell that underneath she does care about people like you, and maybe even me," I said. Yuna smiled too. "She is. And like I said, I've never had a sister before." Then she looked up at me. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to try." At that I gasped, and smiled wider than I had in a long time.

Jumping up and hugging her tightly, I said "Thank you Yuna. Thank you so much!" She laughed and returned the hug, before pulling away. "You're welcome Sofia," she said, before getting back into the bed and pulling a blanket over herself. "I'm going to try to get some sleep; odds are we'll have a big day tomorrow." I nodded and sat back in the chair, closing my eye and relaxing. "Good night Yuna," I said, and she replied "Good night Sofia."

xxx

I guess I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew my eyes were closed, and without even looking I could hear someone moving about the room. Slowly I moved my hand to Selini, which was sitting beside the chair, and waited. Using my hearing I waited until the stranger was in front of me, before jumping, drawing Selini and vaulting forward, opening my eyes and pressing my sword against their throat. Their was a startled shout, and once my eyes focused I saw the stranger was Tidus.

"Could you please put that somewhere else?!" he said, more annoyed than frightened. I pulled back and moved over to sheath my sword, giving a quick "Sorry." "It's all right, but how's Yuna?" he asked. "She and I were up until late last night, sending the fallen," I told him, and his eyes widened. "You can perform a sending? When? How?" "The pyreflies showed me how, when they appeared at Yuna sending them. They taught me how to perform a sending, and it return I allowed them to rest in peace."

"Wow. That must have been difficult," he said. I chuckled. "It was, but Yuna started even before me, and she sent a lot more people than I did," I said. He looked over at Yuna, who was breathing peacefully with the blanket at the foot of the bed. "Oh, maybe I should just let her sleep," I was about to agree when Yuna stirred and sat up, yawning. "Good morning!" Tidus told her cheerfully. At that she snapped fully awake, and looked at us frantically. "What? Morning?!" she asked, hurriedly getting up to grab hear things.

"Don't worry, it's all right," I told her, but she shook her head and said "But it's morning! I'm so sorry! I-I'll get ready right away! Just a moment!" With that she began frantically running around the room, going from grabbing one thing to the next. "Don;t worry! It's okay!" Tidus said, smiling. I was too, and went to grab my trench coat from its hook. The feel of the cool black leather comforted me; this was my favorite article of clothing. Tidus left and I strapped on Selini and me belt holding it, while Yuna grabbed her last item and said "Okay! I'm ready!"

She still had a case of bead-head, but I decided to let it pass and nodded, following her as she rushed out the door. Once she got out of the temple, me trailing behind, Wakka called "Yo! Sleepyhead!" "I'm so sorry!" Yuna said, before walking up to Auron and saying "Please, forgive me." "There's no rush, really. Here, your hair," Lulu said, fixing it. Yuna fixed it herself, and Wakka said "A summoner with bed hair! What's the world comin' to?"

"Obviously a place where getting a good sleep is a cause for panic," I said, smiling. "What a sad world that would be," Deiru said. "You could have woken me up!" she told her everyone. "We called to you, but with the two of you snoring..." Lulu said, and while she gasped I said "Hey!" "What is it today? Everyone's picking on me!" she said, and all of us except Auron laughed. Then even he let out a small chuckle, and Yuna ran up to him. "You too, Sir Auron!" she exclaimed. "Once Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we leave," he told all of us.

We all laughed and began leaving, and I remembered something I once heard. Smiles really can go for miles.

xxx

Well, there goes the Djose Temple, and now Sofia has the power to send the fallen!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.26 The Moonflow

After out little laugh fest at the Djose Temple we walked out, meeting up with the Chocobo Knights along the way. "Off so early? Lady Yuna, you must be exhausted from working so late last night? Will you not rest a little while longer?" Lucil asked. Yuna giggled and performed the prayer gesture, saying "I feel that I have rested enough. Are you leaving as well Captain?" "Yes, first we must cross the Moonflow. Then we will travel north in search of chocobo," she explained.

"Once we find chocobo, our Mounted Forces will ride again!" Elma said happily. It was at that moment that I saw only two of them was present, and Tidus said "Huh? Aren't you missing someone?" "Captain! Waaait for meeee!" Clasko yelled, running from behind us to catch up. "What took you so long?" Elma asked. In between pants he said "You… expect me… to keep up… with a chocobo?" Lucil shook her head and said "Lady Yuna, I wish you good fortune. Elma! Clasko! Let's go!"

Elma said "Ma'am!" but Clasko said "Eh?! Can't we wait just a little while longer?" "No complaints," she told him, and as Lucil rode off on their chocobo the two ran to catch up. I laughed; the fact even one of them could keep up was amazing. Afterwards we walked until we reached the fork in the road; I guess this time we would be going left. "Next we head for Macalania Temple, right?" I asked, and Lulu nodded. "But first we must cross the Moonflow. "Got it! Moonflow, baby, here we come!" Tidus said confidently.

I smiled; you gotta appreciate that confidence. We took the left fork and walked for a while, until the path was suddenly blocked by an Ochu. "Aw crap," I muttered, drawing Selini. The beast screeched and tried to hit me with Poison Claw, but I dodged and used Firesnow. Razor-shards of flaming ice rained down on the beast and cut it countless times, each cut slightly burnt. "Nice work, Sofia!" Tidus said, slashing at it while it was distracted.

The beast knocked him back and tried to fall asleep, casting Regen on itself. But Lulu didn't give it the chance to heal, and woke it up by casting Fira. It woke with a start as it was hit by the ball of flame, and with a hiss it jumped and slammed on the ground, using Earthquake. Pillars of earth erupted from the ground towards us, but Auron stepped in front of us and with one swing of his katana he cut them down to size. The beast was about to cast Water when Yuna cast NulTide, and both spells canceled out the other.

Wakka threw his ball and used Silence Attack, making sure it couldn't cast any spells again, and Deiru was still for a second before running forward and used Mental Break. The move knocked it back and caused it magic defenses to lower, and that's when it screeched and started to go berserk. It flailed it arms wilding and used Poison claw after Water spell, and the others dodged while I just stood there. The fact I did drew its attention, and it screeched before swinging at me.

I sighed; we had fought this thing back in Kilika and even then I didn't find it hard. As one arm swung toward me as I slashed out. Selini cut the arm in half, the fallen appendage writhing on the ground, and I smiled in victory. Now that it was hit with Mental Break it was even weaker to magic, and considering that fire-element moves would do extra damage already…. The Ochu screeched and charged at me, and I waited until it right in front of me before I cast Fira.

A ball of flame the size of my head fired and hit the fiend dead-on. Instantly it backed away, trying to bat away the flames with its one good arm. But it was no good, and the Ochu writhed in pain as it went up in flames. Slowly its struggles weakened, until it fell to the ground and stopped moving, the flames burning out and the body dissolving into pyreflies. I smiled and sheathed my sword, saying "You know, there used to be a time when that thing was actually harder to beat."

Deiru nodded. "You've gotten stronger," he told me, and I smiled in thanks. Once that fiend had completely gone we walked toward the Moonflow, but on the way we saw a human and, to my surprise, the two Ronso we had seen in Kilika; Yenke and Biran. The human ran away, and Biran saw us. "Look! One of Kimahri's friends! Looks just like him!" he called, pointing at me. I raised an eyebrow and asked "And what does that mean?" "Both follow summoner on all fours! Hornless goatlings!" "Hornless! Hornless!" Yenke taunted, and they both laughed.

"You come to insult Kimahri?" Kimahri asked, standing in front of them. "Wrong, we come to warn little Kimahri," Biran said. "Summoners disappear. Never return," Yenke told him. "Next will be Kimahri's summoner!" Biran added. "Poor Kimahri! Lose his horn, next lose his summoner!" Yenke taunted him again. "Pitiful Kimahri! Howl alone! Howl alone!" Biran said. The two of them laughed again before running off, and I glared at them. "Cocky bastards," I muttered. "Those two got something against you?" Tidus asked Kimahri.

Kimahri shook his head, and he asked "What? They were just picking on you?" "Kimahri problem," Kimahri told. Tidus said "And I'll help," but he said "Kimahri alone." Tidus looked like he wanted to protest, but Wakka said "It's Kimahri's problem. We can't interfere; it's a rule." "I'm worried," Lulu said, and I nodded in agreement. "Let the Ronso deal with Ronso problems. That's how it's always been, ya?" he said. I rolled my eyes. "We meant the part about summoners disappearing." "They aren't just vanishing into thin air," Auron added.

"True, and since they're not that means that someone or multiple people are behind this. People who don't want summoners to complete her pilgrimage," Deiru concluded. I thought about that, and the others did too. Who would want summoners to not complete their pilgrimage? All they did was visit the temples, go Zanarkand, get the Final Aeon and defeat Sin. What was there about that that someone wouldn't appreciate? These thoughts kept bouncing around in my head, and I came up with no answers.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even notice that Tidus had stopped, and I walked right into him. I was about to say to watch it when I saw why he stopped, and my eyes widened. "Whoa…" I said. In front of us was a huge grey river. It was probably large enough to hold an entire city, and all along it was flowers that floated on the surface, with pyreflies flying around and clustering nears the flowers. "This is the Moonflow," Lulu said simply.

Yuna keeled down by the edge and pointed at one of the flowers. "These are moonlilies! They say clouds of pyreflies gather here at night," she said, and Lulu added "The entire river glows, like a sea of stars." "Really?" Tidus asked. He was silent for a moment, and I realized what he was about to say. Before I could stop him he said "Hey, I've got an idea!" "We're not waiting until nightfall," Auron said, stopping him before he started. His expression fell and I laughed quietly; he looked funny. "Then… once we beat Sin, we're coming back!" he declared.

No one said anything, and I could swear I saw a flicker of sadness across all their faces, even Auron's. Eventually Wakka said "Well, we'd better get going, or we'll miss the shoopuf." "Shoopuf? That some kind of boat?" Tidus asked him, but all he did was chuckle and pointed. We all walked in the direction he pointed, and I leaned over to Lulu. "Exactly what is a shoopuf?" For once Lulu smiled and said "Just wait and see." I grunted and crossed my arms; I hated those kinds of answers. So I waited until we reached the southern bank, and was I did I was completely blown away.

"Whoa! What the- Whoa!" Tidus said, and I was too shocked to even agree. In front of me was a huge green-blue elephant, but it was twice as big as any elephant I had ever seen. Its trunk was curled up and a Hypello sat on behind its head holding a pair of reins, with a small open air cabin on its back. Wakka chuckled and said "_This_ is a shoopuf!" and all I could do was nod. "Whoa… Let's ride! Come on!" "All right! As soon as we're ready, we board ya?"

We all broke off, and as Tidus and I walked by Deiru and Auron I asked "Did you and my father ever cross the Moonflow?" Auron chuckled. "Yeah, and there's actually a story to that." Tidus groaned and said "Another story." "To put it simply, it was here, ten years ago, that Jecht saw his first shoopuf. Surprised, he drew his blade and struck it," Auron told him. I blinked in surprise, and Tidus said "What? Why?" "He was drunk, thought it was a friend," he said.

"Oh boy," Tidus said. "We gave all the money we had as an apology. And after that, Jecht never drank again," Auron told him. "And where was my father during all this?" I asked. Deiru chuckled. "He was already on the northern bank on the river. The moment Alex saw that Jecht was drunk, he decided to swim the way." I raised an eyebrow. "My father swam the entire Moonflow just because Jecht was drunk?" He nodded. "Exactly. Alex's exact words were 'I would rather swim the entire length of the Moonflow then be in an enclosed space with a drunken Jecht who has a sword.'"

I laughed; that sounded like my dad. I looked over all my gear, making sure my sword was sharp, my magic was just fine, etc, and I walked over to the driver. "Ride ze shoopuf?" he asked, and I nodded. With that he cupped his mouth and said "Shoopuf lauchin'!" The others came forward and we all got on the lift that would raise us until we were level with the cabin. Once we were we climbed in, the driver snapped the reins, and the shoopuf began walking into the water. Once it's lower half was submerged it began swimming, the cabin not even swaying on its back.

I sat back next to Yuna and sighed; this was rather comfy. We rode halfway across the river, until Wakka said "Hey. Take a look." I opened my eyes and turned over, looking over the edge of the cabin and for the second time in one day was star-struck. Below were the remains of what must have been an entire city, one that was large enough to span the entire river. "A sunken city!" Tidus exclaimed. "A machina city- one thousand years old! They built the city on top of bridges across the river," he exclaimed.

"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom," Lulu finished. "Right. It's a good lesson," Wakka said. Confused, I looked back over my shoulder and asked "There's a lesson in all that?" "Yeah. Why build a city over a river, ya?" he asked. "Well, it would be convenient with all that water there," Tidus suggested. "No, that's not it. They just wanted to prove that they could defy the laws of nature!" he said.

"Defy the laws of nature? You sure that's the reason?" I asked. "Yevon has taught us: When people have power, they seek to use it. If you don't stop them, they go too far, ya?" he asked. Tidus and I sat down, and he asked "But you guys you machina, don't you? Like the stadium and stuff, right?" "Yevon, it decides which machina we may or may not use," Lulu explained. "Oh, so what kind of machina may we not use then?" he asked.

"Remember Operation Mi'hen? _That_ kind," Wakka told us, and Lulu added "Or war will rage again." I blinked. "War? The heck are you talking about?" "A thousand years ago, mankind waged war, using machina to kill," Yuna told me. "They made weapons so powerful, it was thought they could destroy the entire world," Lulu said. "The people begged for the war to end. They feared Spira would be destroyed!" Yuna told me, and Wakka added "But the war did not stop! They just kept building more and more powerful machina, ya?" "Wh-What happened then?" Tidus asked.

"Sin came, and destroyed the machina cities and their weapons," Yuna said sadly. "The war ended, and our reward… was Sin," Lulu concluded. "So basically, Sin's our punishment for letting things get out of hand, ya?" "Man, that has to suck," I said, and he agreed. "But it's not like machina are bad," Tidus protested, and Lulu said "Only as bad as their users." "It's because of people like the Al Bhed screwing everything up!" Wakka said angrily.

As if to tempt fate, the moment he said that the entire cabin shuddered, and the driver said "Whatsh could thatsh be?" We all stood up, and Auron told Yuna "Sit back down!" She said "S-Sorry!" but before she could a guy with goggles came up behind her and grabbed her, diving into the water. "Al Bhed!" Wakka called. Without hesitation I dived in after her, him and Tidus following behind.

xxx

Sorry for not updating sooner; there was a little mishap with my computer. But now it's all fixed, and I am back!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.27 Rikku

"Yuna, we'll save you!" Wakka called, and I added "Just hold on!" The two of us along with Tidus swam down through the water after the Al Bhed who had kidnapped Yuna. I was frustrated; how could I have let this happen? Yuna had begun to treat me like a sister, and I went and let her get kidnapped! When I found the Al Bhed who did this I was going to personally tear them a new one.

The three of us swam deeper until we stopped, a machina having risen through the water until it was level with us. It looked like the Oblitzerator that me and Tidus had fought in Luca, but on its top instead of a pair of turbines was a sphere, inside which Yuna was trapped. "Yuna!" I called, and drew my sword. Tidus did the same and Wakka got his ball, readying ourselves for an attack. We got just that, the machina spreading its arms and firing a blast of air at Tidus through the water.

Even though the blat went through the water it still hit him hard enough to do a good amount of damage. He grunted and cast Haste on himself, while I swam I cast Blizzard, sending a chunk of ice through the water and hitting it. But to my displeasure the spell had hardly any affect, and I quickly cast Libra to realize that all elements except Thunder were cut in half. I groaned; looks like I should have asked to learn Thunder sooner. Tidus slashed at the machina twice in rapid succession, the Haste status he gave himself making him attacks even faster.

Wakka threw his ball and the impact was a nice smack, even though the sound was muffled by the surrounding water. The machina whirred and rose up into the water, and it seemed like it was charging for something. Tidus cast Haste on me and I could feel my body began to speed up, and I swam up to slash at the Extractor with almost frightening speed. It swan forward until it was above up and a slot on the bottom opened, a few odd shapes dropping down.

At first I was confused, until the shapes began to blink and my eyes widened. "Shit!" I thought, but before I could swim away the charges exploded. The force of the blast sent me through the water and away from Tidus and Wakka, who were also hit by the explosion. The machina swam over to Tidus and dropped more charges, before doing the same with Wakka. I watched the two get pummeled by the explosive barrage, and I tried to think of a way to stop it.

Then as the Extractor came towards me I saw the door and the bottom slide closed, and I got an idea. I waited until the machina dropped a set of charges over me, but instead of swimming away I swam into the middle of them, grabbing one and tossing it into the door as it slid shut. The charges around me exploded and I was nearly sent into one the sunken city's walls, but I was able to watch as the charge I had thrown back in exploded.

The blast sent the machina upwards, nearly breaking the surface of the water, and all the other charges it had fell out of the hole created by the blast. "Wakka! Hit it with Element Reels! Now!" I called. Although I wasn't sure if hear could hear me due to the water, he did it anyway and spun his ball on his finger, the element changing to fire, water, ice and thunder. He let the ball go and kicked it, and the moment he did the element luckily landed on Thunder.

The ball hit one charge, the electricity activating it, before the ball bounced to another and another. Once the ball hit all the charges it bounced back to Wakka, and I watched as every single charge, maybe two dozen, all went off one after the other. The chain explosion nearly destroyed the Extractor, and it jerked and twitched as sparks flew out.

I smiled; my little plan just about left it destroyed _and_ made sure that it couldn't use Depth Charge again. It knew that too, and turned towards me and unleashed a volley of Aqua Shooters at me. The first one knocked me back into the wall, and I was pummeled by the endless barrage of blasts. Tidus, finally having recovered from the Depth Charges, saw this and swam forward. Spinning his sword in his hand, Tidus was about to use Spiral Cut when suddenly his movements changed and I realized he was using his new Overdrive, Slice and Dice.

A total of seven times Tidus swam side-to-side, slashing at the Extractor and cutting through metal like paper. It turned to look at him, and Wakka threw his ball in another Thunder-Element Reel. They both provided the distraction I needed, and with a push I swam toward the Extractor. While it fired jet after jet of water at the Tidus and Wakka, I looked over it to try and see of it had a weak spot. Then I saw it; a chink in the machina's metallic skin, and through the gap I saw a mass of wires.

"Perfect," I thought to myself. Without waiting I placed my hand against the metal and cast Fira, the heat traveling through my hands and into the metal. The water surrounding us made it harder, but I concentrated harder and the metal began to glow red. Once it was almost white-hot I switched to Blizzara, instantly cooling the metal to subzero temperatures. The heat and chill caused the metal to expand and contract, the metal becoming brittle enough to me to slam the butt of my sword against and break off.

The breaking of the metal caused the Extractor to turn back around, and I froze as it aimed at me once again. Then Tidus swam forward and slammed the butt of his sword against the sphere holding Yuna, momentarily distracting it. Once he did I swam back and created a Fire spell in my hand, but instead of firing it I stuck in between the exposed wires and covered the hole with sheen of ice. Kicking back I waited until the magical explosive went off.

It did, and in an explosion of fire that searing the wires it was attached to and caused the fire to spread underneath the machina's metal skin, creating further explosions. It thrashed around as it was destroyed from the inside out, and while it did I swam up and used Whirlwind Blade on the sphere holding Yuna. It cracked from the pressure and I grabbed Yuna's hand, swimming up to the surface while below the Extractor exploded.

Our heads broke the surface of the water, and as Wakka and Tidus climbed back onto the cabin Deiru leaned over and extend his hand. I smiled and placed Yuna's hand in his, and he nodded and pulled her up. I climbed up and got in the cart, Lulu asking Yuna "Are you hurt?" She shook her. "No. I'm fine." Wakka sat down and growled angrily, saying "Graagh! Those Al Bhed!" "Ish ebullibody okay?" the driver asked. Yuna stood and said "Yes! We're fine now!" "Yuna!" Auron said, and she hurriedly sat back down.

"Shoopuf full shpeed aheads!" he called and the shoopuf continued swimming. We all sat down, and Wakka said "Damn the Al Bhed! What do they want from us? Could it have something to do with Luca? What are they after Yuna for? Wait, they're mad they lost the tournament! Or, wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'hen!" "I wonder… Didn't Kimahri's clansmen say something about summoners… disappearing?" Lulu asked, and Deiru nodded.

"So the Al Bhed are behind it?! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!" he said, angrily. Yuna lowered her head, and I could see her sad expression. Tidus did too, and said "Hey Wakka. It's no use complaining about it now, right?" "Yeah, we can protect Yuna from anyone. All we need to do is make sure we keep an eye on what's around us," I added. "She's right; we'll protect Yuna anywhere. It's that easy. That's all I need to know!" he said. "Hmm… I guess so," he said. Yuna giggled and mouthed "Thank you," to both of us. "Anything for my sister," I whispered, which caused her to giggle a little more.

After that the ride to the northern bank continued without a hitch, and once we reached the dock Tidus and I were the first to get off. All of us, particularly Wakka, wanted to take a moment to wake their legs up, but Tidus was already ready to go, and walked forward. I groaned and said "I'd better go with him. Just in case something tries to eat him." The others nodded and I followed Tidus, catching up with him just as we reached the bend in the road and shore of the river.

We both stopped; someone was lying sprawled on the beach, possibly unconscious. It looked to be a girl a little younger than me wearing a diver suit and helmet that seemed oddly familiar. Tidus kneeled down and asked "You're… not dead?" She shook her head and stood up, and began to take her suit off. She had an orange sleeveless tank-top with side straps and two long blue ribbons in the back, with bright green shorts and a pouch strapped to her leg.

On one arm was a huge protective mitt that covered one arm up to her elbow and on the other she had protective gauntlet that ended in a pair of metal claws. Once she took of the helmet, but left the goggles around her neck, I saw she had blonde hair in a short ponytail with other braised pigtails, and green eyes that had a swirl in them. Now that she had the suit off she sighed and said "Thought I was done for, back there," before collapsing back onto all fours.

That face and voice helped me and Tidus recognize her, and he said "Rikku! You're Rikku! Hey! You're okay! How have you been?" She shook her head and said "Terrible." "Yeah, you don't look so good. What happened?" She looked up and pointed at both of us. "You two beat me up, remember?" For a second we were confused, until the penny dropped and Tidus said "Oh! That machina… that was you?" When she nodded I frowned angrily, crouching down giving her a DiNozzo-slap on the back of her head.

"Ow! That's twice you've hurt me now! You big meanie!" she said, standing and rubbing the back of her head. "And _that_ is for kidnapping my sister. I would have hit you harder, but you saved our lives back then so I'll leave it at that," I said, smiling and handing her a Potion. She took and gulped it down, sighing in relief as she felt the throbbing in her head fade. "But wait a minute! Why are you getting mad? You attacked us!" Tidus protested. "Nah-uh. It's not exactly what you think," she said.

"Oh really? Do tell," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Before she could answer we heard Wakka yell "Yo!" and we turned to see the rest of the group catching up. He looked at Rikku and asked "Friend of yours?" "Uh, you could say that," Tidus told him. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Rikku!" she said. "Yuna, Lulu, we told you her right? She was the one who helped us before we washed up on Besaid. She's an Al Bhe-" he got that far before I hurriedly put a hand over his mouth.

"Either way, we've met her before, and she's helped us out a lot," I said. "Wow, so you, like, owe her you life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon!" he said, performing the prayer gesture, before continuing "So, uh, Rikku… You look a little beat up there. Are you okay?" At that point Lulu said "Wakka," and he turned to her. "There's something we need to talk about." "Huh? What?" he asked, but Rikku said "Girls, only! Please wait over there!"

I walked with them, and behind me I could hear him go "Ahhh!" in disappointment. Once we were a safe distance from the group, Yuna looked at Rikku and said "Rikku, you're father is Cid, right?" She nodded and said "Yeah, he is. And that would make us cousins." I blinked in surprise, and from their lack of it I asked "You guys already knew the moment you saw each other, didn't you?" They nodded, and Lulu sighed. "I guess you'll be wanting Rikku to be your guardian as well then?"

They both nodded, and I said "Well, I don't see any problem with. The only one that might is Wakka, and that's just because he doesn't like Al Bhed." At that Rikku frowned and said "How come?" "His brother fought with a machina weapon the day he was killed. And putting that aside he's deeply devoted to Yevon, including its ingrained hatred for those who use forbidden machina," I explained. "Then, let's just not tell him, and there won't be a problem!" she said, and I nodded.

Yuna looked at Lulu. "So, can Rikku be my guardian?" Lulu shrugged. "I see no problem with it. The real ones to ask would be Sir Auron and Deiru," she said. Yuna nodded and we broke our little circle, Yuna walking to the very people Lulu just said. "Sir Auron, Deiru… I would like Rikku to be my guardian," she said hesitantly. Deiru blinked faintly in surprise, while Auron simply exhaled. They both walked over to her, and she lowered her head.

"Show us your face," Deiru told her, and she said "Huh?" "Look at me," Auron said firmly. "Oh, okay." She showed them her face, but her eyes were closed. Deiru rolled his eye and said "Open your eyes." For a moment she didn't, until slowly she opened one, showing the green and swirl that all Al Bhed had. "As we thought," Auron said, standing back up. "Um… No good?" she asked. Deiru and Auron looked at each other for a moment, talking without saying anything, until Deiru shrugged and said "Why not?"

Auron looked at her and asked "Are you certain?" Rikku looked back up and said "Yeah, a hundred percent! So, anyway… can I?" "If Yuna wishes it," he told her, and said person said "Yes, I do." I smiled; now the two of them wouldn't have to be apart. Wakka went "Hmph!" and Tidus told her "Rikku's a good girl! She helped me a bunch!" That convinced him, and he said "Well I'm for it! The more the merrier!" "Right-o! Then I'll just have to be the merriest!" she told him happily.

He nodded and I smiled knowingly at Yuna, who did the same with both amusement and sadness. Even though Wakka completely hated the Al Bhed, all we had to do was not tell him Rikku was one and he had no problem with having her around. I shook my head; sometimes ignorance _was_ bliss. I just hope he never found.

xxx

Well, the gang's all here now, and soon to come is the city of Guadosalam! You all know what happens there, but what will occur with Sofia there, and how will she takes the new of Seymour's proposal? Stay tuned to find out!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Note: I do not own KH:BBS or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.28 Thunder

After we ran into Rikku and quickly made her Yuna's final guardian, we kept going on our way to the city of Guadosalam. As we walked I asked Lulu "Hey I'm guessing from the name that Guadosalam is a the main city of the Guado. If that's the case, will Maester Seymour be there?" She was silent for a moment, until she shrugged her shoulders and said "It's possible. In Guadosalam there is a manor that I specifically passed down to each leader of the Guado race. If Maester Seymour does not have business elsewhere, then it's possible he could be staying at that manor."

I nodded, and began walking with more caution. It wasn't that I didn't like him, as a maester I had respect for him, but something about Seymour set me on edge, or even all Yevon for that matter. Even when I first saw Seymour in Luca, I had the feeling that someday he would become a real thorn in our sides. If he was here, then I could only imagine hat he would want. Despite that, I kept my thoughts in my head and didn't voice them, not wanting to disturb the others.

We kept walking along the road, Rikku showing us her ability to steal items and mix them when she used her Overdrive, Mix. I had to say I was impressed; all my Overdrives did was hit the enemy a bunch of time of make burning snow. With the right items, Rikku could make flash floods, chain explosions, even instantly kill the enemy she told me. She might not be able to hit hard, but Rikku certainly made up for it. After a particular battle where she killed an Ochu with the mix Firestorm, we reached the gate to Guadosalam.

Once past the gate I saw that Guadosalam was indeed a strange town; the entirety of it was underground, it seemed more like it just grew out of the ground than artificially built, and there was barely a human in sight. I looked at it all in wonder, until my focus was drawn to an older Guado who was walking towards us. Once he stopped before us he said "We have been expecting you, Lady Yuna. Welcome to Guadosalam. This my way, my lady. This way.

Yuna blinked in surprise and said "Me?" He reached out and tried to grab her, but both Wakka and I blocked him. Wakka said "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" and I said "Hands off, buster!" He stepped back and said "Oh, I beg your pardon. I am called Tromell Guado. I am in the direct service of our leader, the great Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Yuna." "Business with me? What could it be, I wonder?" Yuna said.

Tromell extended a hand and pointed at a large mansion near the back of the town. "Please, come inside the manor. All with be explained. Of course, your friends are also welcome," he said, before turning and leaving. I looked at Yuna. "Want to see what he wants?" I asked. She shrugged. "He _is_ a maester, it would be in our best interests to listen." I nodded, and we all walked toward the manor. Once inside I looked around, the main room was huge, and along the walls were portraits of several different Guado.

I walked over to the one that showed Seymour, and compared it to the others. "Hmm, Seymour's picture looks different from the others," I commented. "That is because Lord Seymour is the child of both a human and a Guado," Lulu explained. I looked at her and asked "Seriously?" Tromell stepped forward and said "That is correct. Lord Seymour is the son of our late Lord Jyscal Guado and a human. One of the first."

I looked at the portrait again. So that's why he looked so different. Shaking my head, I followed the others to a huge dining room. There were tables with refreshments all around the edge, and in the center was one huge table piled high with food. "I will go inform Lord Seymour. Please wait here," Tromell said, before turning and leaving. "I get the feeling he called us up here for more than just dinner," Wakka told us.

Not deciding to say anything, I took an apple from the table and bit into it, the satisfying crunch going around the room. Rikku had the same idea, but whereas I just took an apple she tried one of almost everything there in paid succession. "Mm! This is delicious!" she exclaimed with a mouth full of food. I nodded, even though there was so much food in her mouth that I didn't know what she was talking about. I took my apple and walked over until I was leaning against the wall, next to Deiru.

"We had best be on our guard," he said, and I nodded. "Wakka has a point; even Maester Seymour wouldn't go out of his way and halt the pilgrimage unless it was important. Still, what's the worst that can happen? He's just a really high priest, right?" I asked. "It's like Auron says, people with power use that power. And maesters have power," Deiru said. I blinked, when he said maesters I could swear he used more venom in that word than in the rest of the sentence. "Do you have something against Yevon?" I asked.

He was silent for a moment before saying "It was a long time ago." I tried pressing him for more than just that, but after that I couldn't get a word out of him. Sighing, I walked back to the table to get an orange to go with my apple. Lulu was standing next to it, and said "There's no temple in Guadosalam, see? Summoners usually pass through on their way elsewhere." I nodded. "Is that so?" Then I remembered something and said "Hey, before I forget..."

She looked at me, and I said "I've been meaning to ask you since Operation Mi'hen, and that run-in with the Al Bhed only reinforced my desire. So, is it possible that I could finally learn Thunder?" I asked. Lulu smiled and chuckled, saying "I never did teach you that one, did I?" I shook my head. "Very well then. Come over here." I smiled happily as Lulu took me to the back of the room, nearing a pair of doors. "Alright, first I want to see how far you've gotten with the other spells I've taught you. Create five balls of fire."

I did so and cast Fira, creating five balls of fire the size of my head. The others looked and saw Lulu giving me another magic lesson, and watched. "Good, you're making progress with that spell. Now melt the ice." I nodded and cast Fira. The spell halfway melted one orb, but did nothing else. I hadn't counted on orbs made with Blizzara being harder to melt. So because of that I spent the next five minutes casting spell after spell, eventually getting the ice blocks to finally melt.

"It took a moment, but nicely done. Now use water to extinguish the flame," she said. That took a lot less time, and I had the fire replaced with water in seconds. "Well done. You've shown me you've improved with the other three elements. Now I will teach you Thunder." I smiled and waited excitedly, I was liking this new spell already. But after a moment nothing happened, and I said "Is something wrong?" Lulu chuckled and shook her head. "I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

My eyebrows raised. "You, nervous? About what?" I asked. "The last time besides learning how to send was when that merchant, O'aka, gave your swords its new powers. I'm worried that if I teach you a new spell, it will cause some other power to emerge as well," she explained. I thought about that, and decided she was right before saying "Well, if we never do we'll never know." She smiled and nodded, and said "Okay, that casting Thunder is very much the same as any other spell. Only with Thunder you have to visualize lightning. Can you do that?"

I nodded. I lived in San Francisco, the storms there were fierce. Lulu waited until I had those images good and laid out in my head, before saying "Now extend you hand and say 'Thunder' aiming the spell for the orbs of water." I nodded and flung out my right hand, looking at the first orb and saying "Thunder!" A small bolt of lightning shot from my palm to the orb, the electricity crackling around inside the orb. The moment I fired the spell Rikku shouted in surprise and darted around the table, crouching behind it and away from us.

"Good you give us a little warning next time?!" she asked, sounding more scared than angry. I looked to where I could just see over the edge of the table. "You knew were casting magic, so what's the problem? You didn't have a problem with it before," I told her. "I-I just don't like lightning, that's all?" she said. I raise an eyebrow. "You're scared of lightning?" "No, I'm not scared!" she protested, but the effect was slightly ruined by the fact she was still crouched behind the table.

I shrugged and went back to cast Thunder, but every time I did I could hear a pained whimper coming from where Rikku was hiding. So she was scared of thunder. If I remembered correctly, after we left here we would go through the Thunder Plains on our way to Macalania. And from what Lulu told me, it wasn't called Thunder for nothing. Still, I decided not to tell her that and kept casting, going until Lulu said "That's enough." Sighing my thanks. I took and stepped back and grasped a table for support. Training with Lulu was always tiring, but I'll be damned if it didn't work.

I walked over to where Rikku was now officially under the table, and said "Magic lessons are over. You can come out now." Slowly she did, first peeking head out to see if was telling the truth, before slowly emerging from her hiding place. "Here, take an apple," I said, and she gratefully bit into it. At that moment Tromell Guado walked back in, saying "Truly it is good to have guests again. Since Lord Jyscal passed away, these hall have been too quiet." "Maester Jyscal's death was a loss for all of Spira," Yuna said.

Tidus and I both looked over at Wakka and asked "Was the Jyscal such a great guy?" "He brought the teachings of Yevon to the Guado. He was truly a great man," he whispered. "Truly, a loss for us all. But now a new leader, Lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of both a human and Guado. He will be the tie that binds our two races together. But that is not all I think. Lord Seymour... will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the people of Spira."

I looked at him. Seymour, a star? Something about that image didn't seem right. Before I could say that however, Seymour himself emerged from a door near where Lulu had just been training me, and walked to stand before us. "That is enough, Tromell. Must I always endure such praise?" Then he looked at all of us and performed the prayer gesture. "Welcome!" "You... wanted to see me?" Yuna asked him. "Please, make yourselves at home. There's no rush." "Please keep this short. Yuna must rush," Auron said. "Pardon me. It has been too long since I had guests. Lady Yuna, this way," Seymour said.

xxx

Yay! Sofia has finally learned Thunder! Now that that's done, what do you think she will make of Seymour's proposal? I would like to know.

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

**Notice: **Yay! 2000 views! Thank you, thank you so much my lovely readers! All this success has been all thanks to you!

Ch.29 Proposal

Yuna walked forward and suddenly the room went dark. A light spread from beneath her feet until it enveloped us all, and when it faded we were all standing in space. All of us, Yuna included, looked around in wonder, and a stream of pyreflies flew by like meteors. Seymour walked until he was behind Yuna and said "This sphere is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead that wander the Farplane." I looked around in awe, until suddenly the scene changed, and we were in the middle of a modern city.

People walked through streets in between massive buildings, and a voice sounded over an intercom. "Zanarkand!" Tidus exclaimed in surprise. Huh, so this was Zanarkand. It kind of reminded me of San Francisco. "Correct. The great and wondrous machina city, Zanarkand- as it looked one thousand years ago. She once lived in this metropolis," Seymour said. Both Yuna and I looked at him, and she asked "She, who?" He didn't say anything but looked forward, and the scenery changed again.

Now we were in a bedroom with a huge bed, and on it was a woman with long-white hair, yellow eyes and little clothing. I had never seen her before, but apparently Yuna had. "Lady Yunalesca!" she called and I asked "Who?" "She was the first person to defeat Sin, and save the world from its ravages," Seymour explained, before looking at Yuna. "And you have inherited her name." Yuna looked away and said "it was my father who named me." "Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task. He wanted you to defeat Sin just as Lady Yunalesca did.

"But Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone. To defeat the undefeatable Sin… it took an unbreakable bond of love- the kind that binds two hearts together for eternity," Seymour said. Behind us was a man in armor, who walked through Yuna towards Yunalesca. She stood and the two of them looked at each other before embracing. The scene faded to white, but as it did I saw Seymour whisper something to Yuna, and she gasped. I frowned, and when the light faded we were back in the dining hall.

Yuna turned away from Seymour and approached us, and I saw that her face was as red as a tomato. She darted to the side and grabbed a glass of water, which she took a long drink from. Once she was done she sighed in relief, and the rest of us crowded around her. "Whoa! Your face is beet-red!" Rikku exclaimed. "Are you okay?" I asked. She didn't look at me, and said "He… he just asked me to marry him!" My eyes widened and I said "He did _what?!_" I looked over and glared at Seymour, who simply smiled.

Both Auron and Deiru walked in front of him, and Auron said "You know what Yuna must do." "Even if the two of you would be wed, she would still have to continue her pilgrimage," Deiru added. "Of course. But Lady Yuna- no, all summoners- are charged with bringing peace to the people of Spira. But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering off all Spira. She must be a leader for the people. I proposed to Lady Yuna as a maester of Yevon," Seymour said.

I glared and began walking over to him, saying "So it's just a political marriage?!" I would have gotten closer, but Deiru grabbed my arm and hauled me back, whispering "Now is not the time. Vent your frustration later." I glared at him as well, but eventually huffed and pulled away, crossing my arms. "Spira is no playhouse. A moment diversion might amuse the crowd, but it changes nothing," Auron said firmly. "Even so, the actors must play their parts," he replied.

He walked over to Yuna and said "There's no need to answer right away. Please, think it over." "We will do so then. We leave," Auron said. "Lady Yuna, I await your favorable reply," Seymour told her. But when Deiru and Auron passed by him he looked at them, and asked "Why are the two of you still here?" Deiru glanced back at him, and he bowed. "Forgive me. We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane." I frowned; the scent of the Farplane? What did that mean?"

Tidus walked up to Auron and began sniffing him, who grunted and elbowed him back. I would have laughed, if not for the circumstances. We all walked outside the manor, and regrouped not far from the exit. "Yuna, the high summoner's daughter. Seymour, the leader of the Guado. Married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barriers of race. It would give Spira something cheery to talk about for once," Lulu said. I looked at her. "So you're actually endorsing this dumb idea?!" I asked angrily.

"She's got a point. Sounds to me like just a passing daydream, like Auron said," Wakka told her. "Come on; let's just get on with the pilgrimage! I mean, marriage?" Tidus asked. Rikku smiled at him and said "Hmm. Jealous?" "What? No way!" he protested, but I smiled. He was lying and he didn't even know it. "We gotta defeat Sin. Romance can wait!" he said, and Wakka added "He sure picked a fine time to drop this one on us." "Maybe it is a fine time," Yuna said. "Yuna!" I exclaimed.

"If my getting married would help Spira… if it would make the people happy…. If I could do that for people… maybe I should do what I can. I never imagined doing anything like this. But I won't answer until I know what's right," she said. "Seriously?" Tidus asked, while I crossed my arms and grunted. "You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married," Rikku suggested, sounding more than a little hopeful. "I will… go on," she replied. "Umm… I guess so," Rikku said, sounding severely let down.

"I am a summoner! I must fight and defeat Sin!" she firmly. "Like Braska before you," Auron told her, and she nodded. "I'm going to the Farplane. I am going to see my father and think on this." "Go on, we'll be right behind you," Lulu said, and I nodded. I still wasn't happy about this whole thing- Yuna didn't even _like_ the guy- but whatever choice she made, I would support her on it. We walked through the town until we came to long stone road, with pyreflies scattered around.

They appeared more frequently until we reached the end, where there were whole clouds of them and a huge gate with the steps leading up to a blue circle. "Question!" Tidus said. "About this Farplane… When someone dies, a summoner sends them to the Farplane, right? So their souls, or whatever they are, they go to the Farplane, right? But that's the Farplane we're going to, right? And Yuna's old man is there too? Do dead people live there or something?" "You do know that was five questions instead of one?" I replied, and he shrugged. "You'll see once we get there," Wakka told him.

We began walking up the steps to the portal, but Deiru and Auron stayed behind. "You guys aren't coming?" I asked, and Deiru shook his head. "We… do not belong there," he said. "You're scared!" Tidus taunted, and Auron said "Searching the past to find the future. That is all there is there. I need it not. You'd better get going." Rikku stepped forward. "You're not going to see the dead, more like your memories of them. People think of their relatives and the pyreflies react to them to them. They take on the form of the dead person- an illusion, nothing more."

I nodded at this explanation, and she giggled before saying "Well, you guys have fun!" "You're not coming either?" Tidus asked. She shook her head and said "I like to keep my memories inside. Memories are nice, but that's all they are." I shrugged and said "Suit yourself," and walked to the gate. Placing a hand on the blue circle, I watched my hand pass through, and walked past. For a second my vision was blurred, until I saw I was standing on a small stone platform. At least, that's all I thought it was, until the surrounding clouds parted.

Once they did I saw a near-oval shaped valley, the entire edges composed of waterfalls. Below were endless fields of flowers and rivers, and in the sky was a huge black cloud with a robin-egg blue sun in the center. I was stunned; I had seen this before. I had bought a portrait of this and hung it in my house back in my world. Every detail was the same, right down to the endless amounts of pyreflies that flew everywhere.

I looked around in awe, but then I saw something closer that drew my attention. Wakka was talking to the image of someone, who had the same red hair and build. And not too far away, Lulu was looking at the image with a look of sadness. "_No way… It couldn't be,_" I thought, but walked over. "Yo, Chappu!" he said, and I gasped; it _was_ his brother. "Meant to come see you earlier, ya? Sorry! I know you won't hold it against me. I gave up the game. I'm a guardian from here on, ya? This guy- looks a lot like you- showed. Traveling with him, I figured… maybe you were still alive somewhere, ya? But, here you are on the Farplane. Guess your place is here. So, how you been? OH, that guy I just told you about? I gave him your sword. He likes it."

I looked over and saw Tidus holding Brotherhood, that very sword. For a second the blade seemed to shimmer, and both he and I blinked at it. Deciding to give Wakka some actual privacy, I walked to Lulu and asked "Why the long face? Thinking about what was?" She nodded. "He is dead, and I am still alive. Coming here really makes that clear. I should focus more on what I have to do now." Then suddenly she chuckled, and I looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"I don't even know what I'm saying," she said. I was silent for a moment. "Maybe you're saying… that you should move on? Don't forget about Chappu, but try to find someone else? I'm sure you'll find someone," I said. "Hmm. Possibly," she said. I laughed lightly and said "I won't say for you to get together with Wakka. The two of you get along great, but that's not enough is it?" She shook her head. "Not even close." I smiled and leaned closer, whispering "Have you noticed Tidus and Yuna?"

She didn't say anything for a moment, but then nodded. "I have noticed… they very much enjoy each other's company. Like now." I blinked, but looked and indeed saw that Tidus and Yuna were talking together. I laughed. "I wonder who will be the first of those two to admit their feelings," I wondered, and Lulu chuckled. "Knowing the two of them, they'll probably say it at the same time. If they admit it at all." I nodded.

She looked back at the image of Chappu and said "Goodbye, Chappu. You always said I looked grumpy. But those were the happiest days of my life." Then the image disappeared, and Wakka walked over to us. "Need some more time?" he asked Lulu, who shook her head. Then he looked at me and asked "You're not gonna try and call someone?" I shrugged. "Who would I call? The person I ever really had in my life is my father, and I already tried. It didn't work."

"Hey, that must mean he's still alive, ya?" he asked, and I nodded sadly. Not dead, Sin. With that the two of us waited until Tidus and Yuna were done talking, and then we walked over to them. "Well? Need some more time?" Wakka asked. "No, I'm ready," Yuna said, and I looked at her in confusion. "Did we miss something?" I asked, and Tidus laughed and scratched his head. That made me laugh, and together we exited the Farplane.

Outside Auron, Deiru, and Rikku were still waiting on the steps, but when they saw us the stood. "Sorry for waiting. I'll go give my answer to Maester Seymour," Yuan told them. But before anyone could say anything, we heard several gasps from the direction of the gate. We turned to see that all the Guado near it were backing away from the gate, from which a ghostly image of someone was emerging. "Who is that?" I asked. "Lord Jyscal? Lord Jyscal!" the Guado exclaimed.

The image groaned, and I said "Jyscal? The last leader of the Guado?" "He does not belong here," Auron said. "Why?" Yuna asked. "Yuna, send him," Deiru said firmly. She nodded and walked closer, the Guado parting before her. "Lord Jyscal…" she whispered. "He is Lord Jyscal no more. Send him now!" Lulu exclaimed. I walked up to help her, but as I did I heard pained grunts from Auron and Deiru behind me. Not giving it much thought, I drew my sword and joined Yuna in the sending.

Eventually the image of Jyscal faded, but just before it did a sphere dropped onto the ground. I looked at it and was just about to pick it up when Yuna did, and placed it in her pocket. Auron said "Take later. We leave now." I sheathed my sword and left with the others, but I couldn't stop thinking about what just happened. Was that really the late Lord Jyscal? If so, why did he appear? Was he never sent? And what was with that sphere? What could have contents so important that someone's last act in the world would be to give it Yuna?

xxx

Well, the proposal has been given and Yuna has decided. Or has she? And what of Jyscal's sphere?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

**Notice: **Awesome! 3000 views! Thank you so much for all your support. With this I have the strength to continue on. I will do my best to lot let you down!

Ch.30 Thunder Plains

The nine of us walked through the tunnel that led back to Guadosalam, each one of with our own thoughts. "Wh-What was that? That really Lord Jyscal just now?" Wakka asked. I shrugged my shoulders and didn't say anything, but Tidus did. "Hey, I know! He was never sent, so he turned into fiend! Ha!" he said, satisfied. "I think that he was sent once. But something, a powerful emotion could have bound him to this world. Such things happen," Lulu explained. "A powerful emotion?" I repeated. "That's against the rules, isn't it?" Rikku asked.

"It means he died an unclean death," Auron said. Nothing was said after that, but I frowned. An unclean death? Supposedly all that happened was Lord Jyscal passed away peacefully, and his son Seymour was ordained Maester in his place. What was it about that could be unclean? Unless, something else happened, something no one knew about. For some reason, Seymour flashed through my mind, and I was reminded of that chill I got whenever he looked at me.

I shook my head; no, Seymour wouldn't kill his own father. The guy may be creepy yeah, but to kill your own dad? The thought went against my entire being. We had reached near the manor, and Yuna said "I will go speak with Maester Seymour." She turned and was about to leave when Auron said "Yuna! Jyscal is the Guado's problem- not yours." She ignored him and walked inside, while the rest of us split off into various directions. I sat down near the entrance next to Deiru, who was leaning against the wall.

"Well? What do think Yuna's decision?" he asked. For a second I paused, surprised by the question, until I said "To be honest, I thought the proposal was a dumb idea anyway. The two of them have nothing in common- they don't even love each other. Even if they went through with this it would only be a political marriage. If Yuna wants to marry someone, let it be someone she loves." Deiru looked down at where I was sitting with an eyebrow raised.

"And what if such a thing really did make Spira happy? That and that lone is what Yuna wants," he said. "For maybe a few weeks, yeah. But if Yuna beats Sin then they'll have joy for years," I countered. "And whose side are you on anyway?" I added. "The same side as Auron- whichever one means we continue the pilgrimage," he said, and I grunted. But he had a point; the pilgrimage was our primary concern. Still, I had a feeling that Yuna might actually change her mind.

I didn't like Seymour, nor did I like the thought of Yuna getting married. But she was my sister, so if she made that decision I would stand by her. Frowning, I stood and announced "I'm going for a walk." The others nodded and didn't stop me, so I wandered around Guadosalam to try and clear my thoughts. Kimahri told me that the potions the Guado sold were good, so I entered the shop. True to his word they were nice, but I still couldn't get my mind clear.

Groaning, I walked around until I reached the exit tunnel, and once I was there I was stopped by that priestess Shelinda. "My... Was the lady summoner not with you?" she asked. "No, she's at Seymour's manor," I replied. She frowned. "That _Maester_ Seymour, or _Lord_ Seymour," she corrected me. That single sentence made me want to roll my eyes, but I resisted the temptation and said "Sure." "That's all right. Maester Seymour left Guadosalam a short time ago anyway," she said, and I blinked in surprise.

"Left? Where did he go?" I asked. "I believe he went to the temple in Macalania. Maester Seymour is also the head priest of that temple," she explained. Without another word I walked back towards the manor and went inside, ignoring Wakka's warning to not go in. Yuna was standing there with Tromell, and she had a rather irritated expression. "Please, just let me speak with Maester Seymour," she said. "Forgive me, my lady. However, Lord Seymour is not available at the moment," he said.

"Unavailable? What does that mean?" she asked. "It means he's not even here right now," I said, and she turned around in surprise. "Sofia! I thought the others were all staying outside," Yuna said. "Yeah, we were. But then I heard from a passerby that Seymour left a short while ago," I explained. "They said he went to Macalania Temple. So let's go." She nodded, and I began to walk out to tell the others. But just as I did I saw Yuna perform the prayer gesture in front of Jyscal's portrait, and asked "Lord Jyscal, please tell me. What can I do to help?"

"Let's go!" I called, and she followed. Once outside I explained things to the others, and Tidus said "So he just up and went to Macarena Temple?" "Macalania Temple," Wakka corrected him, and he said "Aye." "What I don't get is... Why would the lord maester head off without a peep to anyone?" Wakka asked. "Maybe he just wasn't expecting Yuna's answer so soon," Rikku suggested. "Ah, that's probably it," he said. My earlier thoughts filled my head, and I wondered whether it had something to do with Jyscal's appearance.

Yuna let out a short, humorless laugh, and Auron asked "What is it?" "Oh, nothing!" she said, and Deiru smiled. "You know, you're a terrible liar," he commented. Her cheeks flashed crimson, and she said "It's nothing, really!" I chuckled, sometimes my "sister" was so cute. She turned and said "Come on, let's go," and we followed.

xxx

After we walked out of the exit tunnel we end up in a wide open area, and I saw lightning flash and strike an old tower set in the middle of the plains. There were several others, and lightning continuously struck them. Suddenly I noticed that Rikku was crouched behind me, and when I took a step to the side she took one with me. "Oh no... We're really here," she said, sounding beyond scared. There was another flash and a rumble of thunder, and she shrieked before crouching further behind me.

"How are we supposed to cross that?" Tidus asked. "See the lightning rod towers? The lightning is drawn to them... hopefully," Lulu said. "Hopefully?" I asked. "We head north too near and not too far from the towers, ya?" Wakka said. "It means we should avoid wide open areas," she replied. There was another flash and rumble, and Rikku whimpered pitifully. "I think I left something in Guadosalam," she said, trying to sound convincing. "All right then, head back," Deiru said. "It will have been nice knowing you," Auron told her.

The two of them began to walk ahead, and she said "Okay, okay! I'll go!" We started making our way across, Rikku making sure to stay behind me, until we were stopped by a trio of fiends. One was an Iron Giant, a Gold Element, and a Larva. "Oh goodie," I said, rolling my eyes and drawing my sword. Without waiting I cast Thunder on the Larva, but when the bolt hit it didn't even blink, and countered with Thundara. It was only with a quick roll that I dodged, and Wakka said "Look like lightning isn't gonna help against these things!"

"Then let me try!" Tidus called, drawing Brotherhood and charging. He slashed at the Larva, and to my amazement the sword cut straight through it, leaving the two halves left of the fiend to fade away. "How the heck did you do that?" I asked. He smiled. "I was looking at Brotherhood earlier, and saw that it had gained the power Waterstrike!" he exclaimed. I smiled and nodded; that was probably going to be a good ability while we're on these plains.

Lulu and I both cast Water, destroying the Larva in one combined attack. That left just the Iron Giant, who immediately went after Tidus. He managed to dodge the mammoth blade, but then it immediately switched and attacked me. I yelped and dodged, saying "We need to figure out this thing's weakness!" "Hey Kimahri, why don't you use Libra?" Wakka asked. He grunted and did so, silent for a moment before saying "Giant wears strong armor, but weak to magic. Use spells to hit it, but not Thunder."

I sighed in fake disappointment. "But I really like using Thunder..." I said. "Hey, it's fine by me!" Rikku called, while stealing a Light Curtain from the Giant. It grunted and glared at her, and while it began chasing her I looked at Lulu and smiled. "Guess we're the main offense, huh? Think you can take it?" I asked. She smiled back and said "I should be saying that to you." Without another word she waved her hand and cast Fira, blasting the Iron Giant with a ball of fire the length of my leg.

It hit it from behind and it stopped chasing Rikku, turning towards us. I smiled and said "Hello there! Take this!" and cast Watera. It stumbled back from the force of the blow, and glared before swinging its massive sword. I rolled away, but the sword itself left a huge crater from the impact, and I said "Wakka, we need you to distract it!" He nodded and used Dark Buster, hitting it in the chest and inflicting it with Dark status. The beast made a groan of surprise and tried to swing at him, but he had already dodged out of the way.

"Thanks!" I called, and cast Blizzara. Lulu followed it up with Watera, my spell freezing hers. The Iron Giant had to stop in its assault as the weight of its sword was suddenly doubled. It grunted in anger and leg go, opting to use its fists instead. It swung at Tidus and hit him square in the chest hard enough to send him flying. Yuna ran over to him once he landed and began casting healing magic, while Lulu and I kept up our double barrage of spells.

Eventually the beast grew tired of fighting and not being able to see, so it jumped into the air and slammed its fist into the ground. The ground shook and fissures appeared, spreading in all directions. I had to stop casting and move out of the way to avoid one, and the rest of the party began running and dodging, ads the Giant chose that moment to go berserk. It ran around flailing its arms and punching wildly, hoping to hit something. "This is getting bad. What do we do?" I asked Lulu, and she was silent before saying "Cast Watera as many times as you can. Trust me."

I did, and began casting said spell like there no tomorrow. Beside me Lulu was still as a statue with her eyes closed, until she opened them and called "Watera Fury!" A total of eight Watera spells flew towards the giant, and when they mixed with mine they grew in a barrage of Waterga. I blinked in surprise, and watched with satisfaction as they series of third-tire spells blasted the Giant from the side. It fell to the ground and tried to hold the spells off, but in the end it was pulverized by the brick-force of the churning water.

The Iron Giant let out one more groan before it went limp, fading away into pyreflies like all fiends. The others approached us, and Tidus said "Well, that was some good work Sofia." I smiled and bowed, but said "Really, the credit should go to Lulu. The Waterga barrage was her idea, not mine." Wakka chuckled and said "Nice going, Lu." She nodded and smiled, before turning and saying "We should keep moving. Let's go." We nodded, and followed her as we walked farther along the Thunder Plains.

xxx

Another chapter bites the dust, with more content soon to come. Will Sofia be able to decipher Yuna's strange actions? Will she be able to before they reach Macalania? And will Rikku ever get oiver her fear of lightning?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.31 Mystery Sphere

After our little match with the Iron Giant and it's buddies, our trek across the Thunder Plains was mainly uneventful, not counting having to dodge lightning bolts and listen to Rikku whine and whimper every time it struck. Which was basically about every three minutes. "Come on Rikku, liven up a little, will ya? The rain is something to enjoy!" I said, closing my eyes and tilting my head to feel it hit my face. "Enjoy?! How can you like the rain so much?" she asked, somewhere between irritated and terrified. "I lived in a place called Alaska as a child. Back there, all the weather there was mainly rain and snow. And I loved every second of it," I said.

With that we kept walking, and our group resumed silence. That was, until there was a particularly loud rumble of thunder, followed by a bang like a cannon shot, and two lighting bolts struck a nearby tower in rapid succession. Yuna and Tidus both gasped, while Wakka said "Whoa! That was a close one!" "Yeah!" I agreed, and we both laughed. "Stop kidding around," Lulu said strictly, and we both said "Yes, ma'am." But then behind us Rikku went "Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh..." rather creepily.

We all turned, and Wakka said "Hmm? Something wrong?" "Eh heh heh heh heh heh heh..." she said, and Tidus said "'Eh heh heh' You're giving me the creeps!" "Oh dear. The fear's gotten to her head," I muttered. Lightning stuck again, and she shriek, curling into a ball. Then it sounded again, and she crawled across the ground with unparalleled speed, grabbing hold of both me and Tidus's legs. "Hey, let go!"" I exclaimed, but that only served to tighten her grip.

"I wanna go home! I hate lightning! I hate thunder! I hate it!" she yelled, and I said "So you _are_ afraid of lightning!" "Yes, I am!" she replied, before looking over at one of Rin's Travel Agency's that was not too far off. "Let's go rest over there! Please?" she begged. "This storm never stops. Better to cross quickly," Auron told her. "I know, but... Just for a little while?" she asked, her eyes huge and pleading. "If we stay then once we leave you'll be forced to go back outside, therefore forcing you to enter the storm a second time. As such, staying would be completely pointless," Deiru said.

"Come on!" she said, and Auron sighed. We reached the Agency and all of us save for Rikku kept going. "Pretty please? Just a few minutes?" she asked, and we kept walking. "I'm scared of lightning? Let's rest, please? Pretty please?" she asked again, and still we kept going. "I'm too young to die!" she called, and I almost laughed; she was getting desperate. Meanwhile, I could visibly see Auron and Deiru become more irritated. "You're man, you're cruel! Your mothers would be ashamed of you!" she yelled, and I scoffed. My mother died giving birth to me; I don't even remember her face.

"Are you having fun doing this to me?" she asked, and Deiru groaned loudly. "Fine, we rest. She's even worse than the storm," Auron said. I rolled my eyes but turned back around, walking back to the Travel Agency and going through the door. Inside Rikku was sighing happily, glad to be out of the storm. I was just thinking of picking a nice room to share with Yuna when she said "I'm... a little tired." She walked towards the concierge and asked "Do you have a room available?"

"Ah, Lady Summoner. Yes, just over that way," she said, pointing to a hallway on the left. Yuna nodded and I was about to follow her when she shook her head. "I'd prefer to be by myself this time, Sofia," she said. I blinked in surprise. Ever since we had become "sisters" it had become a habit that whenever Yuna took a room, I would sleep in that room's chair. Both of us liked it that way- we would be closer to each other- so why change it now?

She walked into the hall, and Wakka asked "Uh, Yuna?" She didn't reply, and walked down the hallway and out of sight. "It's not like her," Lulu said, I was worried. She had been acting strange ever since Guadosalam. I planed to find out why. While the others weren't looking I slowly walked towards her room, and to my surprise Tidus followed. "What are coming for?" I asked. "Hey, I'm worried about Yuna too," he argued. I was to tell him to forget it when we reached her room, and I could hear a voice inside. One that wasn't hers.

I couldn't make out the words, but the voice was male and older, and seemed to be talking about something serious. We both leaned against the door to listen harder, but what we didn't notice was our weight slowly making the door open. I saw it a second later, but by then it was too late, and the door opened all the way, causing the both of us to tumble in. "Whoa!" Tidus exclaimed, while I said "Hey!" Yuna gasped and looked at both of us frantically, saying "Y-Yes?"

I tried to think of something to explain what I was just doing, and beside me Tidus said "I... well... it's nothing really. I... I just, uh..." Deciding to take the initiative, I said "I'm sorry Yuna. I came in to check on you, but I shouldn't have." She started nodding in forgiveness, but then she noticed that my gaze had strayed the image of someone appearing from a sphere on her desk. Hurriedly she turned it off, and Tidus said "H-Hey! Wasn't that Jyscal Guado guy?"

She nodded, obviously uncomfortable about the subject, but said "The sphere is his will. It says 'Take care of my son.'" I cocked my head; why would that make her act so strange. "His son? Seymour?" Tidus asked, and again she nodded. "Well, I know one way we can take care of him," he said, and my eyes widened. "Tidus!" I said, smacking him on the back of the head. "What?!" he asked, rubbing the spot where I hit him. Yuna lowered her head and said "I'm sorry," before running out of the room. "Yuna!" I called, but she didn't come back. Tidus just went "Huh?" and looked confused.

I heard footsteps, but they were different from Yuna's and from the shadow of the light I could so who it was. I took a step behind the door, but Tidus had turned around. As such he didn't see Wakka when he turned around the corner, and ended up in a headlock. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked. Amidst shouts of protest and grunts from trying to escape, Tidus said "Yuna... Yuna was acting funny, s-so..." "Yeah, Yeah!" he replied, not believing a word of it. "She'll tell us when she's ready, so hold your chocobos till then, ya?"

I laughed and he saw me, but when Wakka tried to put me in a headlock too I stepped out of the way. Smiling, I said "Don't even try it," while holding my hand up, fire and lightning crackling along my fingertips. "All right! All right! All right!" Tidus said, and Wakka let him go. "So what? You gonna try and zap me if get you?" he asked me. "Come try and we'll find out," I replied, half-serious. He was still for a moment, before lunging forward with arms stretched towards me.

Without missing a beat I grabbed his arm and twisted it, using his momentum against him to drive him to the floor, and pull his arm behind his back. Then I muttered "Thundara," and electricity buzzed through my hands and into his flesh. Wakka shouted in pain, and the electricity caused him to jerk and spasm, crying out in pain. "Give up?" I asked, increasing the voltage while simultaneously twisting his arm harder, nearly breaking it. "Okay, okay! I surrender! Just cut with the magic, ya?" he yelled, writhing even harder.

I dismissed the spell and let him go, walking out of the room and looking at the others along the hall. With Yuna wanting to have the room to herself, I was going to have to sleep in my own room tonight. I sighed; I wasn't liking this one bit.

xxx

The next morning I sighed as my eyes opened, feeling the crisp sheets I had used fall off the side of the bed. That's right- Yuna was acting funny and also said that he wanted to sleep by herself in her room, and I had o take my own. What could be making Yuna act this way? I wondered. But unless I got up, I wouldn't be getting any answers. So I hauled myself out of bed and began getting dressed, going for my usual black leather trench coat and combat boots, but this time I wore a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

Strapping Selini to my hip I walked out into the main room, greeted by the sight of a curled up Rikku. She was looking at the door, and before I could ask what was up she said "It's not stopping, is it?" I rolled my eyes, and Auron said "Don't tell me that you thought it would." "I told you, once we came _in_side, we would have to go back _out_side. And when we did you would dread doing so. So tell me, are you willing to face the consequences of your choices?" Deiru asked.

Lightning struck loud enough to hear inside, and she shrieked. Guess that was a no. Auron sighed angrily. "Fine. Stay here," he said, before walking out of the building. "All right, already! But... You didn't have to say it like that, you know! You could be more comforting or supporting! You know, try to cheer me up? You just don't get me at all, do you?" she ranted, but when she got no reply she said "Hey! Are you listening?" "I don't think he his," Deiru told her, idly cleaning his sword.

"I'm not scared!" she called. Just then another bolt struck, and although she huddled she didn't shriek. "I'm not scared, you hear?!" she called, and I smiled. Gotta admire that confidence. Slowly the rest of the group showed up, and once we were all assembled we left. Almost immediately we were set upon by a Gold Element, a Kusariqqu and a Buer. Groaning, I said "I just woke up!" before drawing my sword. The Buer flipped over in the air and stared at me, using it Gaze attack. The move didn't hurt, but it did leave me confused.

My sense of direction was completely thrown off-balance, and I couldn't properly swing my sword at the enemies. Wakka grunted and threw his ball, hitting the fiend dead-on and causing into fall to the ground. The Kusariqqu reared it head before using Lightning breath, hitting us all with a beam of lightning. The move got rid of my confusion and injured the others, resulting in all nine of us being mad it at at once. "Allow me," Deiru said, stepping.

The beast roared and charged at it, and Deiru jumped into air and allowed it to pass. It stopped and looked around, and from behind Deiru cast Waterga. The fiend was enveloped in a huge sphere of water, and Deiru willed the sphere to slam into the Gold Element. Both fiends smashed into each other, and Lulu cast Watera on the Gold Element. It faded away into pyreflies, and With a quick swing of his katana Auron finished off the last enemy. "A simple fight. Let's go," Auron said, and we followed.

xxx

Ooh, the mystery abounds for Sofia and the group! Will they find out the cause of Yuna's behavior? How will Sofia act when she changes her mind? And what about hen they reach Macalania Forest? What then?

Please review! If you flame Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.32 Change in Mind

"Everyone, wait," Yuna said, and we all stopped, even thought we were right in the middle of the Thunder Plains. What's up?" Wakka asked. "I have something to tell you," she announced, and Lulu asked "Here?" "We're almost out of here! Let's go!" Rikku said, desperate to get out of the storm. "I have to say it now!" she said firmly, and I blinked in surprise. "Is it that important?" I asked, and she nodded. Auron looked over at a lightning rod with a roof attached. "Over there," he said. We all nodded and walked towards there, Rikku sighing in gladness from being out of the rain.

Looks like, despite my efforts, my worst wishes come true.

"I have decided to marry," Yuna told us. "I thought so," Lulu said, while my eyes widened and I said "What?!" "B-But why? Why'd you change your mind?" Wakka asked. "For Spira's future, and Yevon's unity. I thought it would be the best thing to do," she said. I was floored; _that _was her reason? "That's not good enough," Auron said. "And if my instincts are correct, not the only one," Deiru added. "Wait, is it... Is it because of Lord Jyscal?" Lulu asked, and Tidus's expression lit up. "Hey! That sphere!" he said.

Both Auron and Deiru walked in front of Yuna, and Auron said "Show me." To my surprise, she shook her head. "I can't. I must speak with Maester Seymour first. I'm sorry... but it is a personal matter," she said firmly. "But I'm your sister. Can't you tell me?" I asked. She looked at me, her expression apologetic, and I knew the answer before she shook her head. No. I lowered my head and took a step back, hurt. "Very well then," I said, my voice clipped.

Auron and Deiru turned away, and Yuna said "I'm sorry." "Just one thing," Auron said, and she said "I won't quit my pilgrimage." "Then it is... fine," Deiru said, and they walked off. I looked up and abruptly my hurt turned to anger, and I ran over and grabbed Deiru by his shirt. "Now hold on a sec! Aren't you going to try and stop her?!" "Yeah, aren't you?" Tidus asked. Calmly he removed my hands, and said "No, I'm not. As long as Yuna is willing to face Sin, she is free to do as she pleases." "That is a summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys," Auron added.

I clenched my fists and glared at him, trying to hold back from doing something stupid. Eventually I just said "Aargh! Fine!" and stormed off. This was bullshit, and made absolutely zero sense. No one said anything for a minute, until Wakka stepped forward. "Yuna, just one question? Can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? You've got to marry him?" he asked. "I don't know," she said honestly, but added "But I think it is the right thing to do." "Okay... I guess," he said.

Rikku walked over to her and put her hands on her shoulders. "Yunie..." she said, and abruptly lightning flashed. Rather than cower, she looked up at the sky and yelled "Quiet!" Looking back at Yuna, Rikku said "I wish we could help somehow, some way!" Yuna put her hand on Rikku's. "It's okay... I'll be fine," she said. I looked back at that, and sighed. "Alright. If you want to go through with this, then fine. I'll support you," I said, smiling despite the situation. Yuna smiled back and said "Thank you."

Auron and Deiru both looked over at the end of the road, and Deiru said "Our next stop is Macalania Temple. Yuna and Seymour can talk there. In the mean time we guardians will wait, and plan what happens next. Agreed?" Everyone said "Agreed," although Tidus and I were more reluctant than the others.

xxx

At the end of the road the scenery abruptly changed, from a storm-ridden plains to a forest, where the trees were blue, almost crystalline. I gasped; the sight was beautiful. "Awe-inspiring, no?" Deiru asked, and I turned. "This place is known as Macalania Woods. Ans as the name suggests, it is not far from lake Macalania, where the temple is," he explained. Abruptly my mood darkened. "Yeah, where she'll tell Seymour that she accepts his proposal," I said, not liking the idea at all. Deiru raised his eyebrows at my tone. "Forgive me for questioning the obvious, but are you unhappy about their marriage."

I glared at him. "Of course I'm unhappy about it! They don't like each other, they both say it's just for Yevon's unity, in the end it won't change anything, and... aargh!" I said. "What does she even hope to gain from this?" I wondered. Deiru was silent for a moment, before saying "She hopes that by doing what Seymour wants and marrying him, that in return she'll be able to get him to do something." I looked at him in confusion. "Do something? Like what?" I asked.

"That's the question. Whatever she wants him to do, it's so important she feels she can't tell her guardians, or even more so, her sister," he said, looking at me. "And so what? We just sit idly by while we let her do this?" I asked. Slowly, he nodded, and said "That is our duty. Protect her when she needs to be protected, and let her make her own choices when she does." I grunted, but still I accepted it. I told myself back in Guadosalam- even if I disagreed with Yuna's choice, I would still support her. And I keep my word.

Deiru turned away. "And back to the subject of this forest, be on your guard. The scenery is better, but the fiends are equally stronger." I nodded, and the two of us caught up to the rest of the group. "Slowpokes!" Rikku said, and I pointed out "You're in a much better mood." She nodded. "Yup! Now that I'm out of that storm, I can finally be my cheerful self again!" she said, literally jumping with joy. I shook my head and smiled; gotta love that energy.

Suddenly Auron drew his sword, and Wakka asked "Is there trouble?" "No, nothing..." Deiru said, pulling his sword off his back and pointing. "Unless you consider that trouble," he finished. We turned and saw that a quartet of fiends were running towards us, making various sounds on savagery. The other readied there weapons and the fiends stopped, inspecting what they saw as prey. The group of fiends consisted of a Xiphos, a Chimera, a Murussu, and an Iguion.

Altogether, it was a group of fiends large and diverse enough to annoy us all, and Tidus proved that when he said "Oh great," while drawing Brotherhood. I silently agreed and drew Selini, charging forward and slashing at the Xiphos. It hissed and jumped back. It claws clicking, and I cast Thundara. A bolt of electricity hit it from above, but the moment I did the Chimera roared and raised its snake-tail, casting Thundara right back at me. I shouted in pain, and Yuna hurriedly cast Cura.

The Iguion charged forward and slammed its side into Wakka, its crystal-hard body dealing a lot of damage. He responded by throwing his ball, but it bounced right off. "Allow me," Auron said, running forward and swinging his katana. It pierced its armor and the beast shuddered, and one Drain spell from Lulu finished it off. Now the numbers were down to three, and the Chimera used Aqua Breath. A torrent of water hit all of us, and most of us were sent back by the force of the attack. Then suddenly Kimahri used Lancet, and he used Aqua Breath in return.

My eyes widened, and then I remembered: When a Ronso uses Lancet it could sometimes learn the enemy's abilities. Kimahri's use of Aqua Breath killed the Murussu and heavily damage both the Xiphos and the Chimera. "Way to go, Kimahri!" Rikku called, and I nodded. "Yeah!" I looked at Kimahri, and for a second I could swear he smiled. Then the Chimera roared and it faded, both of us looking back at it. A ball of flame had appeared in its hand, and it threw the ball straight at Tidus.

"Tidus!" Yuna and I called, both of us surprised by the other. Yuna hurriedly cast a pair of Cures of him, while I turned and ran toward the Chimera, slashing at its side. It growled from the wound and the snake-tail snapped its fangs at me, but I dodged. However, when I did my guard was down, and the Xiphos took that chance to attack me. It scissor-like claws cut me across the stomach, before it swung around and slammed its tail into my chest, knocking the wind out of me and sending me flying.

I landed on my back and my head bounced against the ground, hitting it and hurting something fierce. My vision was slightly blurry, but I pulled a Hi-Potion out of my pocket and took a long drink. The pounding in my head lessened, and the bleeding from the wound in my stomach stopped, allowing me to stand. Slowly I shook my head and watched the others, seeing what I had missed.

Rikku was mixing together two items, but while she was working on that Wakka kept the Xiphos await from her, while Lulu, Deiru and Tidus were attacking the Chimera. Then Rikku said "Ha! Got it!" and she looked at the others. "Everyone, get back!" They did as she said and she threw the mix, which I found out was Rolling Thunder. A total of six Thundara blasts rained down on both of the enemies, three each, and the move was too much for the Xiphos. It fell on its side and dissolved into pyreflies.

But unfortunately the move only made the Chimera angrier, and it roared before charging into Lulu, hitting her with her horns and sending her back. "Lulu!" I called, but she waved me away and stood. "Alright, you want to play rough? Then allow me..." she said, raising her arms above her head. "To return the favor!" she finished, lowering her arms down and calling "Drain Fury!" Her hands glowed green, and suddenly a beam of energy shot from the Chimera towards her, damage it and healing her. More appeared, continuously healing Lulu and hurting the fiend, until the number of them reached eight in total.

By the time her Overdrive was over Lulu was literally glowing with health, and the Chimera was barely able to stand. "Time to finish this!" Tidus said, and Deiru hefted his sword. They both ran forward and as one slashed their swords, creating a X on the beast's chest. It let out one more roar of anger, before falling forward and going still, fading from existence. I sighed and sheathed my sword, saying "That was impressive. I didn't know Fury could be used with a Drain spell, or that there was a mix like that."

Rikku beamed at me and said "Thank you!" while Lulu merely smiled and nodded. "Don't celebrate just yet. We still have the rest of the fiends in this forest to deal with," Auron said. Rikku groaned and said "Such a buzzkill, man!" I laughed a that; her pouting expression was just too funny. "He's right though; we need to stay on our guard until we reach the temple," Lulu said. "Alright," I said, and the others nodded. "Let's just hope no more Chimeras show up, ya?" Wakka said, to which we all agreed.

xxx

Finally we have made it to Macalania Forest, my favorite part of Spira! But what secrets lie amongst the crystalline trees? And then there was that sphere Jecht left behind...

Please review! If you flame me Liam Nesson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	33. Chapter 33

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.33 Memories of the Past

"Heeey!" I heard a deep voice say. We all looked to see Dona's guardian, Barthello, run towards us. Once was in front of us he stopped, asking "Have you seen Dona?" I shook my head. "Can't say that we have," I replied. "What's up?" Wakka asked. "We got separated on the way here. Damn it all! I've got to find her!" he said angrily. "Calm down," Deiru said. "But if anything happens to her..." he protested. "Running around in a panic is not going to help. Right now you have to keep cool and search," Auron told him. "But..." he replied. "Guard your emotions, then guard your summoner," he continued.

Barthello looked like he was about to protest, but then he said "You're right." "Do you want us to help?" Deiru asked. "No, I've taken up too much of your time. Thank you Sir Deiru, Sir Auron," he said, performing the prayer gesture and running off. Rikku ran ahead of the group after him, but stopped once he disappeared. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Oh, I just wanted to wish him good luck," she replied, but while the others believed her I didn't. "Hey Rikku, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked. She nodded and I pulled her away, telling the others to go on ahead.

Once we were out of earshot I said "Tell me. The ones behind the disappearance of summoners are the Al Bhed, aren't they?" She looked at me in surprise, she eventually hung her head and said "Yeah. How'd you guess?" "I suspected it ever since you tried to kidnap Yuna back at the Moonflow," I said. "And that there with Barthello just made me more suspicious," I added. She smiled sadly. "You caught me, huh?" she asked. I nodded. "Before I lived on my own I was in an orphanage. I learned to tell when people are lying," I explained. "Just answer me one question: _Why_ are the Al Bhed doing it?"

Rikku looked up in surprise. "You don't know?" I frowned. "Know what?' "The thing is, when summoners get the Final Aeon and defeat Sin, the Final Aeon-" she began, but then Yuna called "Hey, you two! Hurry up!" "Coming, Yunie!" Rikku called, glad for the escape. I frowned. What was she about to tell me? Other than defeating Sin, was there something else that the Final Aeon did? Thoroughly intrigued, but knowing I wouldn't get any more answers any time soon, I ran to catch up with the others. "What were you guys talking about?" Tidus asked.

"Oh, just girl stuff. You'd get bored if you heard it," Rikku told him. He nodded, satisfied with that answer, and looked ahead. I looked at Rikku and said with my look "_We're going to talk later._" With that we kept walking through the forest, until near the end we came across O'aka. "Discount prices now, on account of Maester Seymour's wedding!" he advertised, but I ignored him. We had just reached the end when Auron and Deiru both said "Wait." I stopped, and said "What is it?" "It is here, somewhere," Auron said. "What?" Tidus asked.

"Something the two of you need to see," Deiru said. "But..." Yuna said, and Auron told her "It take a moment." Without another word the two of them drew their swords and hacked away at a set of branches, until they were gone to reveal an old path ahead. The two of them went first, and the rest of us followed. At the end of the road was a huge pool, with a tree near the back that housed a large crystal. "This place... It's just water, isn't it?' Tidus asked. "i don;t think so," I said, kneeling down and running my hands through it. The water was crystal clear, but I could swear I saw pyreflies moving through it.

"This is what sphere are made of. It absorbs and preserves people's memories," Auron explained. Suddenly the water trembled, and a huge sphere of water with a dark shaped in the center rose out of it. "What's that?" Wakka asked. Deiru groaned. "I just remembered: Fiends are attracted to places like this as well." I looked at him. "You just remembered that _now_?" I asked, and he smiled sheepishly. Groaning, I drew Selini while the others spread out, ready to fight the Spherimorph.

The beast turned into pillar and smashed down on top of Wakka, making him groan as bruises already formed. Lulu cast Fira on the beast, but it absorbed the flames. "It absorbs all spells except its one weakness!" she called. With that Kimahri cast Libra, but when nothing happened he said "This fiend immune to sensors!" "Aw great," Tidus called, slashing at it with Brotherhood. But the blade passed right through with no effect, the water closing back in where it had been opened. It retaliated and cast Water, hitting him with a burst of it. "If it used Water, then it's weakness must be Thunder!' he said.

"Say no more! Thundara!" I called, flinging my hand out in the fiend's direction. A bolt of lightning fired from my hand and hit it straight in the center. It trembled from the force of the blow, but suddenly the Spherimorph changed colors rapidly before settling back to its regular blue. Perplexed, I cast Thundara again, but this time it absorbed the spell. "It changed elements. The only way we can hit it with a successful spell is if we let it counterattack and reveal its weakness," Deiru said. "Enough said!" Tidus called, leaping over and cartwheeling before he spun in the air, slamming his sword in Spiral Cut.

It responded with Thunder, hitting him on the head with a small bolt. While she had the chance Lulu raised her hands above her head and called "Watera Fury!" and lowered her arms. A total of eight Watera spells battered the fiend, and it retaliated by turning into a pillar and smashing down on her. "Lulu!" I called, and Yuna ran over to her and cast Cure. But then suddenly the Spherimorph expanded into a huge rectangle, slamming down on all of us. I grunted from the force of the blow and fell to my knees; that move had taken half my health in one blow.

While Yuna ran from person to person healing them, Auron and Deiru stood and glared at the fiend. They both looked at each and smiled, and Deiru said "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Auron smiled and hefted his sword. "Let's." Auron's body glowed red and yellow, while Deiru's was blue and violet. "You're going down!" Deiru called, while Auron said "Your pain shall be two-fold!" Both of them charged and hit the beast at the same time with a pair of massive overhead blows. The Spherimorph visibly fell back from the assault, and hit them both with Fire.

Despite they both moved back with smiles on their face, and I asked "What did you guys do?" Deiru looked at me. "Auron hit it with Power and Defense Break, while I used Magic and Mental Break. Just see how much weaker it is," he said. I raised my eyebrows but charged forward, using Whirlwind Blade. I jumped and spun in the air like a twister, hitting the fiend several times and sending it back. I smiled; the fiend really was weaker. It cast Fire at me, but I dodged and Lulu hit it with Blizzara. It changed elements again, and when Wakka used Attack Reels it hit him with Blizzard, so I cast Fira.

The beast was getting slower with its attacks, and I could tell it was on its last legs. But that was when it used Press again, taking off half of all our health and then hitting Kimahri, Yuna, Rikku and Lulu one after the other, knocking all four to the ground. "Yuna!" Tidus called, and he ran towards her, but before he could get close he was frozen in place by a Blizzard spell. I tried to help but suffered the same fate, and Wakka was sent back with Thunder. All that were left were Auron and Deiru, who both looked at all of us, incapacitated in one way or another.

"Well, I guess it's just us, huh old friend?" Deiru asked. Auron smiled. "Then let's not die, shall we?" The both nodded, and as one ran forward and jumped into the air. Auron pointed his sword downward and slammed into the ground, using Dragon Fang and creating a large explosion. Deiru spun his sword over his head in the air, the blade trailing golden energy, until the threw it and it pierced the center of the Spherimorph, exploding. We were all temporarily blinded by the light, and when it faded we were able to see the water surrounding the fiend fall, and its core fade away.

Deiru walked up to Tidus and I and unfroze us, while Auron fed Phoenix Downs to everyone else. Once we were back in shape, Auron walked over and picked up what appeared to be a really old sphere. He handed it to Tidus, and Wakka said "Whoa, this is old! Don't know if you can play it back. "Jecht and Alexander left here ten years ago," Auron said, and we all gasped. "Play it back," Deiru told him. The screen went white, and we heard a younger Auron say _"What are you taking?" "Well, you said it was gonna be a long trip," _Jecht's voice replied.

The screen showed Auron, Braska, and my father standing in front of a large building. Auron was wearing the same outfit he was now,m but he had no shades, both his eyes were open, and his hair was in a long ponytail. Braska looked the same as his statue did, and then there was my father, He was a tall man in his late thirties, with muscular build, a small beard and the same pitch-black hair as me, although his was cut short. His eyes were a deep hazel, and he wore a solid black shirt with black pants and a silver sword at his hip. I realized with a start that it was the sword I had now, Selini.

_"We'll be seeing a lot of neat thing, right?" Jecht asked, using the sphere like a camera. "So I thought I'd record it all in this. Show to my wife and kid, you know?" he continued. "This is no pleasure cruise," Auron replied. "Auron's right," Alexander said. But then he smiled. "Still, I'd like to have one myself. Sofia like to draw, and if Spira is as colorful as you say, she'll have endless to make pictures of." "Hey Braska," Jecht said, ignoring Auron. "Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion? Where are all the cheering fans? The crying women?"_

_"This is it. Too many goodbyes- people think twice about leaving," Braska said. "He's got a point," Alex added. "Hmm... if you say so. Well, it had better be a lot more colorful when we get back. A parade for Braska, vanquisher of Sin!" Braska chuckled. "We should go. Dawn will break soon," he said, and the screen turned white. When it resumed they were in the middle of a snowy landscape, and it showed Jecht, Auron and Alexander under a banner that said "Lake Macalania," and a Travel Agency was behind them._

_"Auron, Alex! Could you stand a little closer?" Braska asked, who was holding the sphere. Alex smiled and did so, with Auron sighing and doing the same after a few seconds. "Good, that should do it," Braska said. Jecht turned to Auron. "What's wrong? Afraid I might bite?" he asked. "Jecht..." he said, and Alexander chuckled. "Hey Braska, you should take one too! It'd make a great gift for little Yuna!" "I suppose," he said, but Auron stepped forward. "Lord Braska, we don;t have the time for this!"_

_"Auron's right, we're nearly at the temple. We should hurry," Alexander told him. "What's the rush, guys?" Jecht asked, walking off-screen. Auron groaned angrily and followed him, saying "Let me tell you what the rush is!" "Auron!" both Alex and Braska said, and the screen turned black_.

Tidus looked up. "What's the point? He wasn't on some pleasure cruise," he said. "I think there's more," Rikku said, and I turned the sphere back on.

_It showed the same place we were at now, untouched by the passage of time. Jecht was sitting in front of it, and it was placed on the ground. "Hey," he said. "If you're sitting there, watching this... It means you're stuck in Spira, like me. You might not know when you'll get back home, but you better not be crying! Although, I guess I'd understand. But you know what? There's a time when you have to stop crying and move on. You'll be fine. Remember, you're my son. And... Well, uh..." He stood. "Never mind. I'm not good at these things_."

_The screen turned white, and then it showed that Jecht had picked it up again. "Anyways... I believe in you. Be good_," he said, and the sphere turned off. I was confused; did I get a message from my father? I looked at Deiru and Auron. "What gives?" "Alex's message to you was on a separate sphere, which he asked me to keep on my person until Tidus received that one," Deiru said, pulling a sphere out of his pocket and handing it to me. "Feel free to look at it now, or later," he said. I nodded my thanks and slipped in into my pocket, promising to look at it the next chance I got.

"He sounded almost serious. But it was too late," Tidus said. "He was serious. Jecht and Alexander had already accepted their fates," Auron said. I looked at him. "Their fates?" I asked. "Jecht and Alex... They... There were always talking about going back home- to San Francisco and Zanarkand. That why they took all those pictures- to show to the two of you when they returned. But as they traveled with me and Braska and came to understand Spira, and Braska's resolve... It happened gradually, but they changed. Both Jecht and Alex decided that they would join Braska in his fight against Sin."

I looked at him, and Tidus asked "So they just gave up going home?" "That was their decision," Deiru said. The others walked off, and Deiru whispered to me "Hey, your dad did love you though. Don't forget that." I nodded, and understood. Even if my father had found ay home, he had promised to protect Braska during his pilgrimage. And if there was one thing he would do, it was keep a promise. I smiled and shook my head. A stubborn streak and honoring your word. That summed up pretty much every member of the Ostrovsky family.

xxx

And Macalania Forest is done, with the fight against Seymour coming ever closer! And... (SPOILER ALERT!) Sofia's newest Overdrive!


	34. Chapter 34

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.34 Father's Sphere

After we left the forest we entered an icy landscape, covered with snow and harsh winds. "Yeesh! Is this cold!" Tidus said. I smiled and sighed, closing my eyes and spreading my arms like I did on the Thunder Plains. "Aah, the one thing is the world that's better than rain- snow!" I said happily. "What, did you did get a lot of that in Alaska too?" Wakka asked. I nodded. "and I loved every second of it," I said, opening my eyes and letting my arms down. Before we go give Seymour your reply, what do you say we spend a night at the Travel Agency? The Spherimorph kind of tired me out," I suggested. "Hey, I'm with you there!" Tidus said, and Rikku added "Me too!"

Both Auron and Deiru sighed, and latter of the two saying "Alright, one night." all three of us cheered, and we went inside. Compared to the outside the Travel agency was cozy and warm, and I asked "Are there any rooms available?" The attendant nodded and said "Just down the hall. For a summoner and her guardians, the first night is free of charge." I tried to protest and say that were only staying for one night, but she wasn't concerned. "Well, let's make sure their generosity isn't wasted," Lulu said, walking to her room and going in. We all did the same, and I, to my joy, was able to share a room with Yuna again.

Later that night I was sitting in my chair, wide awake even though night had long-since fallen. Yuna snored gently in her sleeps, each intake and outtake of breath causing a hair that fallen over her face to flutter. I smiled; walking over and gently placing the hair behind her ear. She was definitely asleep, which meant now I would be able to do what I promised I would. Walking over to the table and sitting down, I pulled the sphere Deiru gave me out of my pocket and placed it on the table. It immediately activated, showing me the message I had been left by my father.

_The area on the sphere was that of a huge lake, somewhere in Macalania Forest. Abruptly it turned around, showing my father smiling. "Hey Sofia! I know that by the time you get this you'll be older than you were when I made it, but I wanted you to see these things here in Spira!" Alexander said. The sphere turned back around and showed the lake again, and he said "I know you always loved lakes and crystals, so here a lake in the middle of a crystal forest! I don;t know how it looks from watching a sphere, but in real life the view is breathtaking. Wish I could show it to you."_

_The image flashed, fading to reveal a huge temple in the same icy landscape I was in now. "And this place is called Macalania Temple! We came here so my friend Braska could get this thing called an 'aeon'. And based off the last few we've gotten, this one is bound to be powerful! The temple itself is huge!" He laughed, and I heard Jecht say "Hey, Alex! Both of us have taken enough pictures. We'd better hurry before we tick off Auron again." "True," my father said, and the image flashed again._

_This time they were in the middle of a huge city with red and white buildings, while people bustled about. "This is Bevelle, the largest city in Spira and Braska's hometown!" he announced, turning to sphere to focus on a huge palace. "That's the Palace of St. Bevelle, heart of Yevon. We're heading there now, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to show you the inside. Just let me tell you, it's a sight to see!"_

I had been watching this, and I noticed that tears were starting to form in the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away, but still. Ever sine he disappeared, I had sometimes asked myself whether my dad still remembered me. Him having forgotten me was one of my deepest fears. But here he was, taking pictures and recordings of Spira, show he could show this world when he returned. I smiled, sad and happy at the same time. He hadn't forgotten me, but he would never be able to see me again. Not unless he did so as Sin. Then the image flashed again, this time resolving itself to be show a crumbling ruins, parts of what must have been a great city. Zanarkand.

_"Hey," my father said, and this time he sounded a lot more subdued. "Sofia, if you're watching this, then somehow you've been pulled into Spira, like I was. I know it might be difficult at times, but I want to stay strong. That may be a lot to ask, but I also want you to live a good life. Every good father wants that for their daughter, and I'm no exception. And to live a good life, you have to be strong. But I know you can do it. You're an Ostrovsky! If there's one thing we have, it's a will to do what needs to be done. And a stubborn streak to do it!" he said._

_Both he and I laughed at that, but then he turned more serious. "I can only imagine how you must be though. I want to say good, but I'm not sure. With your mother dead and me gone, there's no one left to care about you. But whatever happens I want you to know this: I love you, and I wish you only to best kind of life. I believe in you. See ya."_

The screen went black and there was a click, indicating that the recording was over. Tears fell from my face, but I didn't even try to wipe them off. I heard shuffling behind me, and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around me. "Yuna," I said, my voice cracking. She tightened her embrace and placed her head on my back, not saying anything. "You were awake the whole time, weren't you?" I asked, and she nodded. "Your father seems like he was a good man," she said. I nodded. "He was. When we lived in Alaska, he did everything he could to make sure I was a happy kid and would grow up into a mature adult."

I lowered my head and laughed humorlessly. "He wasn't there for the last ten years, but it worked," I said. "The same thing happened with my father. He left on is pilgrimage to go face Sin. And I never saw him again," Yuna said. I looked back at her, and could see the sympathy in her eyes. I stood and returned her embrace, the two of us standing like that for a few minutes. Then we pulled apart, and I said "Okay, now let's get some real sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow, sis," I said. She smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

xxx

The next morning we were all rested and ready, walking out onto the snow. Apparently Tromell, Seymour;s trusted servant, had heard word that we were coming, and was standing there to greet us. "Lady Yuna, we've been expecting you. We were surprised to hear from you so soon. Pleasantly surprised, of course. Lord Seymour sends his apologies for having left without notice," he said. "it's quite all right. If have one question, if I may sir," She said. "My Lady?" he asked. "I want to keep journeying, even if I marry. Do you think that Maester Seymour will let me?" Yuna asked.

"But of course, my lady. Lord Seymour wishes nothing else, I'm sure," Tromell told her. Yuna turned to face us, and nodded. "Goodbye," she said. She turned back and walked towards Tromell, and I watched her go with a heavy heart. "Well... We must follow Guado tradition. I'll have to ask you to wait here a little while longer. I'll send someone to escort you," Tromell said, before turning around and walking off. Yuna started to do the same, but looked back at us. "I..." she said. "We're all with you. Do as you will," Auron told her. "Thank you," she said, and followed Tromell.

"Sorry," he said, and Tidus went "Huh?" "That was your line," he told him. I was about to laugh when he ran up to the edge and said "Yuna!" then he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Yuna looked back and called "Yes sir!" before continuing. I smiled, shaking my head in wonder. Do the two of them not realize how hopelessly in love they are with each other. "You see it too?" Deiru asked. I looked at him. "Do you?" He nodded. "I noticed it the day of the tournament. I just wonder when that romance will bloom," he said. I looked at him. "I believe he'd be good for..." I grasped my sword. "but if he breaks her hearts, I'll break his neck," I finished.

He laughed, but our amusement was cut short when Rikku yelled "Oh, no!" We all turned to see a group of people jumping snowmobiles. And there's only one group of people who would use those. "Al Bhed!" Wakka and I called. We jumped over the edge and ran to form a circle around Tromell and Yuna. "Stand back,' Auron said. "Thank you," Tromell told him, taking Yuna hand and walking away., but she pulled her hand away and ran back to us, ignoring his calls of "Lady Yuna!" She joined us and I smiled, ready to face the Al Bhed. But then, just as I was about to attack, they ran away.

I was confused, until I heard a voice call "Rikku!" We all looked, seeing a guy in overalls with flame tattoos and a Mohawk, wearing a pair of goggles. My eyes widened. I had seen that guy before. He was on the ship with Rikku that had saved me and Tidus! "Tuh'd ehdanvana un oui kad drec!" he called. Suddenly, a large machina rolled up the hill, complete with a cannon and mini-gun. "Ouin bnaleuic magic yht aeons yna caymat!" he said smugly. "Oh, no!" Rikku called. "What's he say?" I asked. "He's gonna use an anti-magic field on us!" she said worriedly. "Kad dras!" he called, and the cannon rolled down in front of us.

A slot of the Crawler's back slid open and a Negator popped out, flying around and pulsing."Crap," I muttered, drawing my sword. If this thing negated magic and aeons then Lulu and Yuna would be next to incapable of attacking, and I would only be able to fight with my sword. Still, I charged forward with Selini and called "Take this!" I slashed my sword and made a long cut along the metallic armor, but the Crawler turned towards me and sped forward, ramming into my chest and sending me flying. I groaned, getting up and drinking a Potion while Tidus tried to slash at the Negator, but it was out of reach and he couldn't get it.

"Wakka, Rikku, only you two can each it!" Lulu called. They nodded and Wakka threw his ball while Rikku tossed a grenade. Both hit it at once and although it faltered, the machina wasn't dead yet. "Oh now it's just taunting us," I said, before jumping up into the air. "Then try this! Firesnow!" I called, pointing my sword at the sky. The clouds rumbled and parted, raining down countless crystals of burning ice. They pelted the Crawler and the Negator, causing it to try and slam into me again, but just as it did a shard the size of my head hit it and was caught in its conveyor belt. halting it. A few more shards punctured the Negator and caused it to exploded, deactivating the anti-magic field around us.

"Lu! Cast your spells, now!" Wakka called. She did, and Yuna spread her arms to begin summoning. I smiled. Now this fight was ours.

xxx

Well, now we know what it was that was on the sphere, and the final fight against the machina has begun!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	35. Chapter 35

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.35 Identity Revealed

Lulu lowered her arm and cast Thundara, blasting the Crawler with a burst of lightning. I raised its cannon to reveal a gattling gun, which spun as it fired. I shouted in surprise and rolled to the side, dodging the stream of bullets as they bit into the snow around us. Yuna however, didn't jump out of the way. My eyes widened and I was just about to call after her when she spread her arms and an orb of electricity appeared around her. The Crawler fired at her and the bullets bounced off, as they orb shrank and a trio of lightning pillars appeared. The pillars turned and drew closer to Yuna until they met as a single orb at the top of her staff.

Then Yuna turned at fired the orb and caused a hole to appear in the air, connected by a bolt of energy to her staff. Slowly a golden horn appeared, and Yuna pulled so the beast holding it burst out. Raising its hooves the Ixion neighed and slammed them back down. With the Aeon of Thunder now here we all stood back, save for Yuna who stood next to. The lights on the side of the cannon began glowing, and it realized that it was charging. Ixion cast Thundara and fired a bolt from its horn, sending it back from thee force of the attack. The lights flashed brighter, and the aeon used Aerospark, slashing at it twice at the same time.

Then the lights flashed one more time, and I yelled "Look out!" As if it heard me Ixion used Shield, just as the Crawler fired its Mana Cannon. A yellow beam of energy fired straight at Yuna and the aeon, and although the damage was reduced by the Shield it was still effective. "Yuna!" I called. When the beam faded Ixion was kneeling down with its knees bent, weakened severely by the attack, while Yuna hurriedly cast Cure and herself. Oddly enough, magi cast by Yuna wouldn't affect the aeon she summoned, but its own magic would. And it's Overdrives would still do perfectly.

The minute the thought crossed my mind, Ixion raised it head up and neighed, using Thor's Hammer. It shot a huge blast of energy that enveloped the Crawler and lifting into the air. Once it high enough Ixion gathered one more orb of power and sent it along its line of power at the Crawler, where it exploded it a detonation of light, heat and electricity. The Crawler fell back on the ground, burnt, melted and severely weakened by the Overdrive. The top of it slid open and another Negator popped out. It pulsed and created a new anti-magic field. The field weakened the aeon and it fell back to it knees, just as the machina fired it gattling gun.

The move was too much for the aeon, and it body turned transparent as pyreflies flew away. "Ixion..." Yuna whispered, and I said "Don't worry, we'll make sure to finish what he started!" She nodded as Auron and I charged forward, slashing through the weakened parts of its metallic skin. It charged and slammed into us both, sending us back before it its gun again. "This thing isn't giving up. What do we do?" mi asked. Rikku was silent for a moment before saying "I got it! Just get me near the machina; I can take care of it!" I looked her, but she nodded and I believed her. "Okay, stay behind me."

She did, and I ran forward. The Crawler turned towards me and fired a hailstorm of bullets, and my sword moved with lightning-fast precision, blocking whichever ones may have hit Rikku or me. Almost in slow-motion one bullet flew right in front of me, and my sword sliced it half in midair. "Ice!" Rikku called, creating a swirl of sub-zero temperature wind around me with her items. Whenever a bullet came close it froze and dropped out of the air, landing with a dull thud against the ground. It stopped firing and slammed at me, and I grabbed Rikku's hand. Mustering every ounce of strength I had, I pulled her up and threw her over the Crawler before it slammed against me.

I was sent back and into the arms of Lulu, who held me up while Yuna fed me a Hi-Potion. Rikku flipped through the air and landed on the back on the Crawler, where she tore off a strip of metal and began pulling out and rearranging wires. The machina whirred and began spinning around, bleeping irregularly and firing a few bullets before it slammed into a block of ice. Then Rikku took a cluster of grenades, pulled the pins out and jammed them in.

She jumped off and ran towards us, just as the machina explode. The blast was strong enough to create a crater n the ice from where it stood, and I looked at Rikku. "Remind me not to underestimate items next time," I said, and she giggled. "Rikku!" I heard a voice call, and we turned to see the Mohawk guy still standing there. "E femm damm Vydran!" he yelled. "E ys dra guardian uv Yuna, oui caa? Yuna ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" she replied. "Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" he warned, before running away. She laughed. "i told him I was a guardian. Guess I had to actually," she said.

"How come you speak Al Bhed?" Wakka asked. My eyes widened, and I said "Well... she is... that is to say... um..." Rikku hung her head. "Because, I'm Al Bhed. And that was my brother," she told him. His eyes widened in surprise, then anger, and he looked at us. "You knew?" he asked. Tidus nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded. "We knew you'd be upset," Lulu replied. "This is just great. This whole time I've been traveling with an Al Bhed. A heathen!" he said angrily. At that Rikku looked up, and said "You're wrong! We have nothing against Yevon!"

"But you Al Bhed use the forbidden machina! You know what that means? Sin appeared because people used machina!" he told her. "You got proof? Show me proof!" she challenged. "It's in Yevon's teachings, not that you'd know," he added. "That's not good enough! Yevon says this, Yevon says that! Can't you think for yourself?" she asked. "Then you tell me! Where did Sin come from?" he asked. "I... I don't know!" she said, and I sighed. "Humph; you bad-mouth Yevon and that's the best you can come up with?" he asked smugly. "But... that doesn't mean you should do what they say without thinking! Nothing will ever change that way."

"Nothing has to change!" he said, and she replied "You want Sin to keep coming back? There might be a way to stop it, you know!" "Sin will be gone once we have atoned," Wakka said, and I rolled my eyes. "When? How?" she pressed. "If we keep faith in Yevon's teaching it will be gone one day!" he said stubbornly. "Why do I even bother?" she asked herself. There was a momentary silence, and Auron asked "Rikku! Will this work?" Indicating at one of the snowmobiles. Glad for the distraction, she said "Yes!" and ran over to fix it. "We're not using that, are we? Wait... Sir Auron isn't an Al Bhed too, is he?"

"Really? Come on, Wakka!" I said, rolling my eyes. "What?" he asked angrily. "I mean, getting angry just because you found out Rikku's an Al Bhed... You guys got along fine until now, right?" Tidus asked. "That's different. I mean..." he said, and Tidus continued. "Well, I don't claim to know much about Spira. And I probably know even less about the Al Bhed, but... I know Rikku's not a bad person. She's just Rikku!" "Yeah!" I added. He looked around, asking "Lu?" "Just think of this as an opportunity to learn more about the Al Bhed," she suggested. At that he scoffed and turned away, walking off.

I glared and was about to follow him so I could beat some sense into his thick skull when Deiru held me back. Ever so slightly, he shook his head. "Let him go. Give him time to think," Auron said, and I sighed before nodding. Rikku stood, having fixed the machina, and said "I'm sorry." I shook my head and placed my hands on her shoulders. "You've done nothing to apologize for," I said, jerking my head in the direction Wakka went. "He just happens to be a stubborn ox in these situations." She smiled slightly, and Tidus said "All right! Let's ride!" He got on one, and Rikku asked "You sure you know how to drive this?"

"Better than Kimahri does!" he said, and Lulu got on with him. I got on the other with Rikku, and we rode off. As we rode through the icy landscape Rikku held on tightly, and I said "Hey, be careful. I may be strong but that doesn't mean I'm indestructible." She nodded and loosened her grip, but when we hit a bump they tightened almost painfully. I shook my head in exasperation. "Sorry about Wakka, by the way," I said. She shook her head. "It's all right. We Al Bhed got that a lot. It's just hard actually hearing it," she said. "Why does he have to be so mean?"

"Well, as you saw he's deeply devoted to Yevon. But even if he wasn't, his brother Chappu fought against Sin with a machina weapon, and died in the fight. Since then he's hated machina, along with those who use it. Namely, the Al Bhed," I explained. She nodded. "I just wish he would just be okay with it. But doesn't he know that Yuna is half-Al Bhed?" I shook my head. "No, he doesn't know. Any I think you can understand why," I said, to which she nodded.

Then I remembered. "Hey, aren't you and Yuna related?" "Yeah, her mom in my dad's brother. So we're cousins," she said. I smiled. "Although we're not related by blood, Yuna and I decided to become sisters," I told her. She smiled. "That's great! You and her must be pretty close." I nodded. "Tidus and you were the first people I met in Spira, but Yuna was the one I opened up to the most. She's the closest thing I have to family," I said truthfully. For some reason Rikku was silent, and I asked "What? No response?" Instead she placed her head against my back. "She's family to me to. I just hope she stays fine," she said sadly. I was confused, but didn't question what she said, instead putting more pressure and the snowmobile to drive faster.

After a few minutes we made it to the temple, and I marveled at its size. I had seen it in my father's sphere, but in person the temple was huge. "Welcome to Macalania, the Temple of Ice," Deiru said formally. A long icy path curved in a circle around the temple, ending at the temple's door. Once we got there though, a monk at the front saw the trademark green swirl in Rikku's eyes and stopped us. "Halt! The likes of her are not welcome in this hallowed place." "She is a guardian," Auron told him.

He reeled. "An Al Bhed, a guardian? Preposterous!" he protested. Rikku looked seriously at him. "I've decided to become Yuna's guardian now, and that's all I want," she said. "And that's the only thing someone needs to be a guardian," Deiru said, walking past him. "Very well," he said, stepping aside. We all walked inside, and the priestess Shelinda ran up to us. "Ah! So Lady Yuna is getting married!" she said, before warning "You know, you shouldn't joke about these things." I tried my best to roll my eyes, and said "Right. Where is Yuna?" "I believe she went to the Cloister of Trials, with Maester Seymour."

I frowned; just Seymour and her. I guess it would make sense, if what she wanted to talk to Seymour alone, the Cloister of Trials would be the best place to do it. I looked at the others. "Well? Should we stay, or should we go?" They all looked at each other, but before they could say anything a door on the right opened and a girl rushed out before collapsing. "Lord Jyscal! A sphere, in Lady Yuna's belongings..." she said. My eyes widened and I ran over to her. "Do you have it with you now?"

She shook her head. "I left it, in the room." Then she looked down. "Why would the Lady have such a thing?" she asked. I had no answer, so instead I ran into the room with the others behind me.

xxx

Oh, shit's about to hit the fan now. But will they party be able to defeat Seymour? And will Sofia gave her new Overdrive? Find out next chapter!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	36. Chapter 36

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.36 The Truth

We all rushed into Yuna's room, seeing the sphere of Lord Jyscal having been dropped. Tidus picked it up and put it on the ground, Auron saying "This may very well answer a few of our questions." It turned on, showing Lord Jyscal surrounded by water bubbles from the sphere itself, but in the back it rained and lightning struck often. It may have been the Thunder Plains, but what drew my attention was Maester Jyscal. "_What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me, and I will tell you the truth about my son, Seymour._

_ "His mind is closed even to me, a maester of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, and even the summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring chaos and destruction to the Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son. But I do not fault him. Because I was not wise enough, he had suffered and become twisted. I was not able to protect him and his mother from the world and its cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But whoever is watching this... I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop my son._" And with that it turned off.

"Wonderful," Auron said, while Deiru added "Just peachy." "Will Yuna be all right?" Rikku asked, and I hurriedly looked at them. Auron and Deiru walked out, the former saying "Without us, no." Kimahri and Rikku ran out as my eyes widened suddenly realizing the implications. Yuna was alone, I n the Cloister of Trials, with a Maester of Yevon and murderer! I was about to sprint forward when Wakka asked "Where are you goin'?""Isn't it obvious? I'm helping Yuna!" I said impatiently. "You saw, didn't you? Seymour's bad news!" Tidus said. "But he's a maester!" he protested. We both groaned angrily, and at the same time said "Fine! Stay here if you want!"

"Come on, Wakka. Let's at least hear him out," Lulu said. "This cannot be happening," he muttered, but followed. By the steps was a fallen monk who said "That Ronso, he-! Bevelle will hear about this!" but I merely stepped over him. The others followed, and we entered a corridor made of ice. "Kimahri's up ahead. Go," Auron said, and Tidus said "Right!" I nodded and ran. Ever since I met him something about Seymour put me on edge, and sent a chill down my spine. Now I knew why; he had murdered his own father. Any respect I may have had for him turned to burning hatred; that single act went against everything I believed. And I would make sure he suffered for it.

We entered the antechamber, and saw that Yuna was gone, already in the Chamber of the Fayth. Meanwhile, the bastard himself stood in front of the door, two Guado guards flanking him. "Seymour!" I called angrily. Without turning around he said "Please be silent. Lady Yuna prays to the fayth." "Make us!" Tidus challenged. He turned around and smirked at us, and my hand reached for my sword. Before I could however, the door opened and Seymour, turned back around, seeing Yuna emerge. "Yuna!" I called, and she gasped. "But why...?" she asked.

"We saw Jyscal's sphere!" Tidus told her. Deiru stepped forward. "You killed him. Your own father." Rather than get angry, laugh or even smile, he asked "What of it?" "What of it?! Your father cared about you, Guado, half-Guado of otherwise! What you did was unforgivable!" I yelled, snapping and charging forward. The Guado guard blocked me and I swung at them, but Seymour cast Blizzaga and sent me back. Yuna ran towards me and yelled "Sofia!" I grunted and quaffed a Potion, healing the injury. "Lady Yuna, surely you knew of these things, did you not?" Seymour asked.

She made a few sounds but didn't say anything, but that enough. She knew. "Well then, why have you come?" he asked her. "I came..." she said, before gripping her spear and facing him. "I came to stop you!" "I see. You came to punish me then." He turned around and looked at her, extending his hand. But, Yuna back away. He lowered his hand and said "What a pity." I bared my teeth and stepped beside her, while the other did the same. "Ah, of course. 'Protect the summoner even at the cost of one's life.' The Code of the Guardian," he said, before raising his hand. "Well, if you're offering your lives, I will have to take them."

"Maester Seymour. I trust my guardians with my life. But they are also my friends! I will not stand by and watch them be hurt!" Yuna said, raising her staff. "I will fight you too!" "All right!" Tidus called, while I smiled. "Maester Seymour!" Wakka called, but he ignored him. Seymour expression lost all sense of falsehood, showing the burning rage that he held within. "So be it," he said, and his two guards stepped forward. We all drew our weapons and stepped forward, beginning the fight.

Seymour's two guards cast Protect and themselves while Seymour cast Shell. Yuna did the same and began bestowing Nul spells on all of us, while I charged forward. I had intended to swing at Seymour, but suddenly one of the guards stepped in front of him and took the hit. Selini cut him across the chest from shoulder to hip, and I jumped back. Immediately the guard consumed a Hi-Potion, and I groaned in understanding. These guys cast given themselves Protect so they could guard Seymour, and every time they did they would heal themselves.

"They've got Potions. What do we do?" I asked. Tidus smiled and said "Watch this!" He ran forward and instead of using Spiral Cut, he ran from one of the guards to the other, slashing at them over and over each time he passed. He didn't give them time to heal, and by the time he ran back to us one guard had fallen to the ground. "What was that?" I asked, and he smiled. "Another Overdrive of mine, called Slice and Dice. I just learned it recently."

I nodded, but had to push him to the side as a Fire spell zoomed past us. We glared at its caster, And Tidus said "I knew you were bad news from the start!" Seymour acted ashamed and said "Oh! My sincerest apologies then!" "Seymour!" he called, charging again while Kimahri did the same. Both of them worked blocked by the guard, who tossed a Shremedy at Tidus. Instantly he became confused, not recognizing Kimahri and swing at him instead. Kimahri jumped back and said "What are you doing?!" But he couldn't hear either, and began swinging in random directions.

Seymour laughed at the sight and Wakka called "Maester! We must stop this!" There was a silence, and he said "Aah! I can't believe this is happening!" "Yuna! Help Tidus!" Lulu said, casting Fira and hitting the Guado guard. It pulled out a Potion and was about to drink it when Rikku came up and snatched it out of his hand. It's eyes widened and it tried to take it back, but Rikku giggled, punched him with her claw and ran back. Now that it couldn't heal Deiru ran forward, bringing his sword around and slammed the flat of the blade on his head. There was metallic gong and loud _crack,_ and the other Guado fell down.

Now that he had no guards Seymour cast Thunder, striking me with a bolt of Thunder that _would_ have hurt me, if it hadn't been for Yuna's Nulshock spell. He frowned when he saw that I was unharmed, and Yuna said "You may be a maester, but I will still fight!" He looked at her and smiled. "Your eyes, they burn with resolve... Beautiful," he said, and I resisted the urge to gag. "They let's your own eyes burn, along with the rest of you!" I called, cast Fira.

He crossed his arms over his chest and ducked his head, the spell hitting him dead-on. However, aside from some very minor burns that spell had little effect. I groaned; so that was what that Shell spell did. He smiled and cast Water at me, engulfing me in liquid for a second. I choked and couldn't breather, when suddenly he let the spell go. The water released me and fell to the ground, and I just had time to wonder why when I saw Wakka catch his ball. My eyes widened. "You attacked Seymour to save me?" I asked.

Wakka sighed."Don't ask me about it right now, ya? Just don't let me think about think about it!" Granting his request, I turned back in time to see Kimahri use Lancet and drain Seymour of health. He grunted and cast Fire at Kimahri, who used his spear to leap over the shot. Auron grunted and said "Now you shall know pain!" and he ran forward, his sword glowing bright blue. Seymour blocked the blow and it dealt only a small amount of damage, but the deed was done; he had been inflicted with Mental Break.

I smiled. Now that he was weaker against magic I fired Blizzara, while Lulu charged Thundara Fury. He blocked my spell, but then Lulu said "Need a good jolt, Maester?" and lowered her arms. From above a large bolt of lightning struck Seymour, followed by another and another. A total of nine bolts hit him, dealing massive damage and leaving him on his knees. I was just about to deliver the killing blow when he stood and called "Feel my pain! Come, Anima!" All our eyes widened, and we looked up.

A chain with hooks attached to the end feel from a dark hole in the sky, smashing through the ground and creating another. Slowly it rose back up, pulling the Dark Aeon out of the abyss and into this world. Once it was it spread its arms best it could while still chained, and let our a piercing screech and roar. "Now! Destroy them!" Seymour commanded. The aeon seemed reluctant, but its eyes glowed and it used Pain on me. The air around me turned to energy and exploded, and I screamed in unbearable agony. The pain was too much, and I blocked out.

xxx

I don't know where I was, or what was going on, I barely knew my name. I was standing in the middle of a small chamber, a glowing stone in the ground before me. I looked closely, and my eyes turned to saucers when I realized it was Anima's fayth! "_That is right_," I heard voice say. Instantly I was cautious, looking around for the source of it. "Who's there?!" I called, and the voice chuckled. "_You need not fear. I will not harm you._" Suddenly a figure appeared in the air above the fayth, forming a woman with shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes, wearing a simple dress with a bark blue bodice and light blue skirt.

"Who are you?" I asked, and she smiled. "_Surely you recognize me. Can you not see the resemblance in our faces?_" she asked. I frowned and looked closely. Those blue eyes were familiar, only these ones were soft and caring, not like the hatred I saw in the eyes of- I gasped. "Are you... Seymour's mother?" I asked. She nodded. "_So have met my son. And for you two appear here despite being unconscious, you must have also met my aeon,_" she said, and I nodded. "The Dark Aeon, Anima," I said. "_Yes, I had hoped that my power would help my son be strong in life, and even defeat Sin so he would be accepted by Spira. But I failed; he was too young and fled._

_ "All alone in the world, I am not surprised my son has become the type of man that he is today. I can feel it, even from here in this underwater cavern. All fayth can feel when they're aeons are being used, and to a point can see what the aeon is being commanded to do._" She closed her eyes. "_My aeon is being used to fight you, a summoner, an aeon she has summoned and seven other guardians. But even with that number, should my son use Anima's full power on them, all hope is lost,"_ she said. My eyes widened. Lost? No! I had to help them. I was still unconscious, but here had to be a way to help!

"Please, tell me what I can do. Anything!" I said. She was silent for a while, until she opened her eyes. "_I sense that although you are not a summoner, you have the power to send the souls of the departed. Is that so?_" she asked. I nodded, and she said "_Draw your sword._" Without asking while I pulled out Selini, and she said "_Now, with the power of the Dark Aeon, I give you my strength, the same way I gave it to my son. Use the power I have given you to save your friends and stop my son. Please,_" she said, her voice taking a begging tone at the end.

"I will," I said firmly, and she smiled. Even through she shouldn't be able to touch it, Seymour's mother grabbed my sword... and poured hr strength into it. My eyes widened, and I could feel the same agony that I had felt from the Pain attack wash over me, only this time it was different. The pain wasn't affecting me, it was affecting my sword. I glowed and pulse with both its usual silver and a black light, humming with power. I could feel the world beginning to fade around me, and Seymour's mother said "_Go. That is all the power I can give you. The rest is up to your friends and you."_

xxx

My eyes snapped open, seeing Yuna kneeling next to me. "Sofia? Are you okay?" she asked. I nodded and grabbed my sword, which was still vibrating even though I was awake. Yuna stood and glared at Seymour, before saying "Shiva! Finish Anima off with Diamond Dust!" The Aeon of Ice nodded and waved her hand, sending a blast if icy wind at the Dark Aeon. Shiva brought her arms over head and they glowed with a white light before she flung her left hand at Anima, sending wind cold enough to create a glacier around Anima that froze it in place. Then, almost delicately, she snapped her fingers and the glacier exploded.

I winced as countless razor-sharp shards of ice cut and ripped through Anima's skin, and the aeon faded away into a cloud of pyreflies. Almost immediately though, Seymour cast Firaga and Shiva fell to the ground, disappearing as well. "That power that defeated Anima, it will be mine!" he said, casting a pair of Wateras and sending Tidus flying. "Tidus!" Yuna called, but was stopped short by a pair of Blizzaras that froze her and Rikku in place. "Hey!" Rikku called indignantly,l trying to escape. Deiru and Auron went to help but were also sent back by a Multi-Fira, and Wakka and Lulu dodged twin Thundaras.

Slowly, Seymour turned to me and smiled. "All that's left is you. Care for any last words?" I stood, and glared at him with pure, unadulterated hatred. "Yeah, actually. I have four words for you," I said, my sword humming to the point it was audible. Shouting, I ran forward while Selini burst into solid-black flames. Seymour moved back and sent Fira and Blizzara spells at me, which I cut right in half without stopping. He shot a lightning bolt, which I jumped over as it hit the ground, and side-stepped a burst of water. Now the distance between us was gone, and I yelled "Take this! Murderous Blow!"

I swung down and slammed Selini against his chest, he flames winking out in an explosion that sent Seymour flying. He shouted in pain and surprise, and I could see a shadowy shape thrust its hand into his chest, pulling out a red orb and crushing it. Although it left no wound, Seymour gasped when the orb was crushed, and I realized that was his heart. He landed on the ground and tried to stand, but only made it to kneel before the pain became too much. Yuna approached him and he asked "Yuna... You would pity me now?" She didn't say anything, and he fell back onto the temple floor with his arms spread. His eyes were open, but I knew.

Seymour was dead.

xxx

Ah yeah, was this chapter nice to write! I hope you liked the part about Seymour's mother; I just decided to add it there.

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	37. Chapter 37

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

**Notice:** Boo-yaw! A World Beyond My Own has reached 4,000 views, and on my birthday none the less! Thank you so much for this wonderful present, and I promise to try and not let you down!

Ch.37 Escape

I looked at Seymour's fallen body, feeling the last remnants of my power fade from Selini. Seymour's mother had given me her power, and with my new Overdrive: Murderous Blow. "How fitting," I muttered to myself, seeing Yuna kneel next to him. She closed his eyelids and it almost seemed like he was sleeping, when suddenly the doors that led back to the Cloister of Trials burst open. I whipped around, seeing Seymour's servant Tromell along with two assistants. "Lord Seymour!" he called in horror. "What happened here?" he asked. "What… what have I done?" Wakka asked.

"Wait a minute! It's not our fault! Seymour struck first! He's the bad guy!" Tidus protested. Tromell stared at us, his horror growing. "You did this?" he asked. Deiru sighed, and Auron said "Yuna, send him." She nodded, but before she could Tromell yelled "No, stop! Stay away from him, traitors!" The two assistants picked up his body and carried him out, Tromell following behind. Once they were gone Yuna fell to her knees, and I was immediately by her side. "Traitors?" she repeated. "We're finished," Wakka said. Tidus stepped forward. "Now just hold on a minute! Seymour's the bad guy, right? We'll just explain to everyone what happened!" he said.

I shook my head. "Things are never as simple as that, Tidus," I said. "She's right; it won't be that easy," Auron said. "My guess is that once the rest of the Guado civilization hears about this they won't be looking to send us flowers. So before things get ugly, let's get out of here," Deiru said, and we all agreed. Once we left the antechamber the walkway disappeared, forcing us to complete the Cloister of Trials to get out. After we did we entered the entrance of the temple, which was filled with Guado and guards blocking the exit. "Please…" Yuna said. "Give us a chance to explain," Auron said.

"No need. I already know what I'll tell the other maesters," he told us, and I frowned. The tone of his voice sounded bad. "Meaning?" Deiru asked. "Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a maester," Tromell said, and the penny dropped. "You're not letting us go," Tidus said, both him and I drawing our swords. "Let you go? Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we did," he replied. "Wait, wait! Jyscal's sphere! We can show it to them!" Rikku called.

I agreed with her, and was about to say so when he held up his hand. "You mean this?" he asked, and my eyes widened. Jyscal's sphere! Tromell crushed it in his hand, and said "The Guado deal with Guado affairs." The guards and Guado moved forward, and Kimahri jumped forward, shoving them back and yelling "Away!" "Run!" Auron called, and we nodded. Taking Yuna by the hand, we ran out of the temple with the Guado guards hot on our tail. One of them caught up to us and used Summon, causing the pyreflies to form an Ice Flan that blocked our bath. "Move!" I called, melting it with Fira.

The guardian blinked but kept going, another catching up and the two of them casting a pair of Evil Eyes. That both screeched and shot beams at us, forcing us to stop and let them catch up. Wakka threw his ball and took out one of the Evil Eyes, but before he could kill the other one of the Guado hit him with a Shremedy. Instead of throwing at the fiend, he turned and threw at Lulu, who shouted before stopping back. "Wakka, stop this! Control yourself!" she called, but he didn't hear her. He threw again and again she dodged, hitting him with Blizzard spell to keep him in place.

Now that the confused Wakka was subdued Tidus slashed at on of the Guado, cutting him straight across the chest. He fell like a puppet without strings, and when I stabbed the other Guado he did the same. Lulu killed the Evil Eye with Fira, and once we had healed and unfrozen Wakka we kept going. More and more Guado came after us, but the exit was almost in sight. Just we reached it the guard jumped in front of us, and Kimahri yelled "Step aside!" and picked him up before throwing him back the way he came. With him gone we left the area around the temple, to the icy road that we had ridden the snowmobiles on. "Hold on. Lulu, help me freeze this exit!" I called.

She nodded and we both cast while I cast Watera she use Blizzara, creating a wall of water that she froze, keeping any more Guado from getting through. "That won't hold them forever. We need to move!" Deiru said, and we did. We had made it halfway down the road when there was the sound of shattering glass, and we turned to see two last Guado coming after us. "They won't give up!" Tidus called. Once we arrived at the lake the Guado caught up, and one of them said "Nowhere to run, traitors!" I stopped and looked back at him, drawing my sword. "Yeah, so there's only one thing we can do. Attack!" I replied.

His expression faltered, but then there was a feral roar and a huge fiend landed in front of us. A Wendigo. He smiled, and said "Go ahead." He waved his hand, and suddenly the Wendigo turned and bared its teeth at us. I grunted, but seeing no way to escape I moved into a battle position. The others did the same, and the Guado moved to either side of the Wendigo. I charged forward and swung at one of them, but he dodged and cast Berserk on the fiend. It growled and punched me, the blow hard enough to break the lower half of my ribcage and send me flying.

I landed on the ground next to the others and Tidus, and while Yuna tried to heal me Lulu threw a remedy at the fiend, healing it before she blasted one of the Guado with Thundara. He grunted and fell to one knee, while the other cast Berserk again to strengthen the fiend. It ran forward and punched Rikku, causing her to yell in pain before falling forward, out cold. "Rikku!" Yuna called, running from me to help her. I groaned and stood, watching Wakka knock one of the Guado guards down and just barely dodging a hit from the Wendigo. Before it fell the Guado cast Shell on the Wendigo, protecting it from spells before he fell over dead.

Said beast charged forward and swung at Auron, and although he blocked the blow with his sword he was sent a few feet back across the ground. He frowned and ran forward, calling "Take this!" and using shooting Star. The force of the blow sent the Wendigo several steps back, but didn't eject it. The beast punched him and he took a step back, clutching his arm. It roared and pulled its arm back to punch him again, but Deiru cast Thundaga and stopped him. Because of the spell status the move did little damage, but it did distract enough for Auron to move back and quaff a Potion.

Deiru didn't let up either, and attacked with blow after blow of his sword. The Wendigo tried to counter but had no room, and Deiru jumped into the air. "Try this on for size!" he called, his sword pulsing with red and blue lightning. He pointed it up towards the sky and the clouds rumbled, a bolt shooting down to strike the blade. Deiru smiled and pointed it at the Wendigo, calling "Dragon Lightning!" The energy from the bolt fired in a red and blue stream of electricity, hitting the fiend and exploding. Deiru landed back on the ground and stepped back, watching the smoke clear.

When it did the Wendigo was severely burnt, his mane sizzling and skin blackened in places. The beast roared and ran towards him, but Wakka threw his ball the same time Tidus used Slice and Dice, knocking him back. The fiend growled and raised it dukes, gesturing for us to attack. Beside him the other Guado guard was about to cast Berserk when I shot a bolt of Thundara at him, killing him instantly. Before he went though he cast Protect on the Wendigo, shielding it from physical attacks too.

I grunted. "This thing's tough, and with those protective stats things are gonna go downhill fast. What do we do?" Yuna shook her head. "I had almost learned Dispel, but I haven't mastered the spell yet enough for it to work." "Well, do any of your aeons have that spell?" Tidus asked. Auron nodded. "Ixion does," he said. Yuna nodded, and the rest of us made room as she summoned the aeon. Once it had appeared the Wendigo charged forward, landing a double-punch that sent the aeon to its knees. Hastily Yuna had Ixion cast Haste, and once he did he had enough time to heal himself with Thundara before using Aerospark. The move canceled all the beast defenses, and Yuna thanked the aeon before dismissing it.

But even without them the Wendigo was still fighting, running forward and slamming his fist into Wakka. He fell to one knee breathing heavily, and Yuna cast Cura on him before I smiled. "I got an idea. Cover me!" I called, running forward. Auron and Tidus did, and as the Wendigo tried to slam its fist into my sides they blocked the blows. Once I was close enough I held up my sword, and the blade burst into black flames. There was only a one-in-ten chance it would work, but I had to try. "Murderous Blow!" I called, slamming my sword into its chest.

The resulting explosion sent us both back but not fling, when to my joy the same dark shape as before thrust its hand into the Wendigo's chest, pulling out its heart and crushing it. The beast made a weak growl, before suddenly it slammed its fists onto the ground and leaped into the air. As it crashed down it punched the ice with all it's might, and a web of cracks appeared. As it fell on its side and faded away the cracks spread, too fast for us to run from and shattering the ice, all of us falling down.

xxx

My eyesight faded in and out, until I heard a woman singing. The voice was feminine and ethereal, sounding through the air as it sang. Eventually I realized it was the Hymn of the Fayth, and it was about then that my eyes opened. What greeted me was a strange sight. The air was thick and misty, pyreflies traveling through the air and the temple was overhead. "Where are we?" I wondered aloud and Lulu, who had been standing next to me, said "We've fallen under the lake ice. The others are fine, as for Yuna..."

At that my eyes snapped open, and I sat bolt upright. "What happened to her? Is she hurt? Tell me!" I said, my voice rising with each sentence. "Calm down. She hit her head on a slab of stone and fell unconscious, but she awake shortly. We've been down here for a while," she said, trying to calm me. It worked slightly, but I still stood up. The others were scattered amongst the ruins, and Yuna was lying on a piece of rubble, sleeping while Kimahri stood over her. They were all physically okay. Physically. "We're in some deep shit now, huh?" I asked, putting my head in my hands. We had just killed a maester, the reason why was gone, and the entire Guado population was angered at us, along with Tromell probably feeding some bull-wad story to the other maesters.

We were fine for now, but what came next was anyone's guess.

xxx

And that as they say, is that. How will Sofia react to Yuna finally admitting the truth? Will other secrets be divulged? Find out soon!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	38. Chapter 38

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.38 Apology before Separation

I slowly heard Yuna wake behind me, the others making various sounds of surprise and relief. "Yuna!" Tidus said. I didn't look, but could hear her stand, and Deiru said "I believe you owe us some answers." There was a silence, and then she said "I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal. I wanted to convince him to turn himself in Yevon's judgment." "In exchange for marriage?" Lulu asked. "If that's what it took, yes," she replied. I hadn't looked back but I frowned angrily, keeping my closing my eyes and breathing deeply, trying to contain both my sadness and my anger.

"So, what did Seymour say?" Tidus asked. "He… didn't say anything. Now, I wonder if it was even worth it," Yuna said. "I should have told you what I was going to do." "Enough. Dwelling in the past is futile," Auron said firmly. "Hey! You don't have to say it like that!" Rikku protested. "Do you want to keep listening to her regrets?" he asked. She turned away, and more quietly said "You don't have to say it like that." "Our immediate concern is Yuna's pilgrimage. Can you go on?" he asked her. "Yes. But, do you think Yevon will allow it?" she asked him.

"The fayth are the ones who give power to the summoners, and it is they who decide whether they are worthy or not. Not the temples, the monks, the teachings or even the maesters. If it means continuing the pilgrimage, we'll go against Yevon if necessary!" Deiru said boldly. My eyes snapped open and I almost looked back, while Tidus called "Whoa!" and Rikku added "I can't believe you said that!" Wakka grunted. "Well count me out. We have to atone, to make up for the sins we have committed. Of course… I never like Maester Seymour, ya? No way I'll ever forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal, and for trying to do us all in too, you know? But still, the bunch of us going against Yevon? No way!" he exclaimed.

"But still, we have transgressed and must face our punishment," Lulu told him. "We must go to Bevelle. We must speak with Maester Mika and explain what had happened. That is the only way, I think," Yuna announced. "I agree," Wakka said. "Sir Auron and Deiru…" and Auron said "So it is decided then." "Will the two of you accompany us?" she requested. Deiru chuckled. "We are the trouble-makers, I guess," he said. "Yeah, that's right! We can always expect the two of them to them to complicate things!" Tidus said. "Yeah! Kimahri roars, Deiru charges in, and Auron runs away, and…" Rikku said.

Deiru groaned. "I never asked for your help." "Agreed," Auron added. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Tidus asked, and Rikku called "Yep!" Yuna approached him and said "Thank you." Before there was a suddenly silence. "Wait a minute. Where's Sofia?" she asked. "She's over there," Lulu asked, pointing to where I sat. "What's her problem?" Tidus asked, and I gripped the handle of my sword. "I believe that she may be angry," Lulu said, and he asked "Why?" "She's upset that Yuna didn't tell her sooner." Before he could anything she continued.

"From what I can see the loss of her father greatly destroyed her trust in people. The rest of us can feel the same way, but even we had someone looking after us after it happened. Sofia had no one, and was left in the world as a child all alone. She couldn't afford to put her trust in anyone in case she became hurt, and her trust eventually faded to almost no one," Lulu explained. "Okay, so she has serious trouble trusting people. Why would she be mad at Yuna?" Tidus asked, and I almost yelled at him. "Because from I can see Yuna is the first person she really has opened up to.

"Sofia wants to be like a sister to Yuna, to have the family that was taken away from her. She wants to be able to protect Yuna, be with her, and help her when things are hard for her. And now that she has learned that the person she put so much faith in didn't trust her with something as important, it's badly hurt her," Lulu told him. Yuna gasped, and I could feel her gaze on me. "Oh no…" she whispered, and ran over to me. "Sofia!" she called and I did my best to not turn back. "What?" I asked sharply.

She stopped, and said "Sofia, please listen." "I thought of you like family, the only other person I've ever seen that way. And you threw it back in my face," I said, still not looking at her. "No! I didn't throw it…" she said, before trailing off. "Sofia, you heard me tell the others. I should have told you all sooner." "Yeah, you should have. But you didn't," I said, gripping my sword tighter to hold myself in check. "I wanted to, I really did. But I wasn't sure how the others would react-" "Then why didn't you tell _me_?!" I yelled, standing and whipping around, my eyes blazing and hurt and anger. "I trusted you, I trusted you like family, and you didn't trust me!" I yelled.

Yuna flinched from my outburst, and I lowered my voice to a smaller decibel. "Yuna, I love you like I did my father. Unconditionally. I want to be with you, as a guardian, friend and as a sister. But how can I do that, when you don't even trust me?" I asked. She had no reply, and my vision was suddenly distorted by tears. Hastily I wiped my eyes. Sofia Ostrovsky did not cry. Never again. "Sofia…" she said, and I looked at her, when suddenly she ran forward and hugged me tightly. I returned the gesture and held her close, never wanting to let her go. Eventually though she did, and smiled at me.

"Okay, let's make a promise. From now on, we'll be real sisters. And that means no secrets, no lies. None, ever again," she said. I looked at her hopefully, my amethyst eyes looking straight into her brown and green ones. "Ever?" I asked, and she nodded. I smiled happily and hugged her again, and she hugged me back. We stood there like that for a long time, until I remembered something and said "But then, Yuna, there's something I have to tell you." She looked at me, and said "Yes, Sofia?" My heart pounded in my chest, unsure of whether to tell her. But I had to, if I wanted to ever have Yuna close to me again.

"It's about my father, Alexander. You see Yuna, I don't know how or why, but he became-" I began, but then suddenly the ground started shaking. "There's something there!" Wakka called. "The ground!" Auron said. We looked under, and to our horror saw a huge whale-like monster floating just below the surface of the water. "Sin!" I called. Unaware that I had just finished my sentence, Yuna nodded. "The toxin! Watch out!" Lulu warned. We all looked at each other, and then suddenly the world went white.

I felt myself floating beneath the lake, pyreflies still swirling around me. It wasn't until then, but I actually sensed my father. For the first time, I fully believed that he was Sin. "The Hymn… were you listening too?" I asked. An image flashed in my head, one of Tidus's father, Jecht. "Not you, but he wanted to listen to it?" I felt a sense of confirmation, and the image charged to show various mountains, filled and covered with forests, river and glaciers. I recognized the landscape, and said "Alaska. Are you homesick?" The image changed, showing me as a kid, drawing pictures with crayons in front of a fire.

"Hey, that was ten years ago. I'm older now, okay?" I said, and the image changed one more time. It showed him and Jecht in front of some huge tower, and he hung his head. "I know, you want me and Tidus to end this, don't you?" I asked, and they nodded. "We'll find a way. I give you my word," I promised. The image faded from my mind, and I fell unconscious.

xxx

I don't know how long I was out, but when I awoke I felt sweltering heat and the burning sun on my face. As unfamiliar with the sensation as I was, I opened my eyes to see not an icy lake but an egg-blue sky above me. Also, I was floating in what appeared to be a small pool, with Tidus floating face-down not far away from me. I turned over and kicked my feet, swimming towards him and shaking his shoulder. "Hey, wake up," I said, and he jerked up before pulling his head above the surface. "Where are we?" he asked. I looked, all around the pool were in was sand, rolling up and down in dunes as far as the eye could see.

"Beats me; I've never seen this part of Spira before," I said. "Got any idea where the others are?" he asked. I shook my head. "Let's go find them," I said, pulling myself out of the pool. Tidus followed and wrung out his short, but I left mine wet. With heat like this they'd dry naturally soon, and I'll stay cooler until they do. The two of us left the Oasis and walked around the area, trying to fins sight of any of the others. They were nowhere to be found, and after a while I became tired of seeing the same sand for miles around. "Seen them yet?" I asked.

He shook his head, but then suddenly his eyes widened. "But I do see a huge lake!" he called. I frowned, and looked around. "Where?" I asked. "Can't you see? It's right here!" he said, diving forward and landing straight on the ground. Unaffected, he began moving around through the sand as though it were water, oblivious to the fact it was a mirage. I sighed and face-palmed myself; the heat's gotten to him. I was just about to tell him to quit when a shadow passed overhead. It could have been a bird, but no bird grows that large. I heard a screeching caw from above me, and my eyes widened. I looked up, but then sun blocked my view and I couldn't see it.

"Tidus, we've got trouble!" I said. "What are you talkin about? This is paradise!" he said, still swimming in the lake that wasn't there. I ran over and grabbed his shoulders. "Snap out if it, we've got a huge fiend coming our way!" I said. He frowned and looked at me confusedly, and I yelled in frustration before pulling my hand back and slapping him across the face. The blow was hard enough to leave a stinging welt on his face, and also bring him back to his senses. "What the heck was that for?!" he yelled. "You were hallucinating- I had to bring you back and fast. We've got a huge fiend on the way!"

At that he sobered up, and he stood before drawing Brotherhood. "Alright, where is it?" he asked. As if to answer his question there was a piercing screech, and the fiend lowered to hover before us. It was a bird, but unlike any I had seen before. It was huge, the size of a house, with razor-sharp teeth, dark feathers that ripple like flames, and on the underside of its wings were dark purple lights. "How can a bird grow so big?" Tidus asked. "I don't know how, but I do know that it's going down!" I called, drawing Selini and charging forward. The beast cawed and bit at me, but I dodged and gave it a cut along its snout.

It blew out its nose and shook its head, screeching before trying to snap at me. I dodged and suddenly I heard footsteps. Turning around in called "Lulu!" as said person ran forward. "Are you alright?" she asked, and Tidus said "No problem!" Auron came up after her, and I smiled. "Yeah! This thing's going down now!" I called.

xxx

And the party has been separated, noooo! Soon Sofia and Tidus will reach home, and when they do, how will Sofia react the truth about the pilgrimage? Keep reading to find out!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	39. Chapter 39

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.39 Little Green Pests

After we defeated the Zu, Tidus, Lulu, Auron, Deiru and I came together, me wiping sweat from my brow. ""Where's Yuna?" Deiru asked. Tidus and I were silent, and Lulu said "I haven't seen her either." I bared my teeth and grunted angrily. "Dammit! I just make things up with Yuna, and then I go and lose her! What kind of guardian am I?" "It's not your fault, Sofia," Tidus said. That helped a little, and I nodded before saying "Thanks. But I'll still feel a lot better once we find her." "We all will, so let's go find her, along with the others," Auron said, and we did just that.

As we walked through the desert, a trio of machina came up to us. "Machina? What are they doing here?" Tidus asked. "Don't know and don't care!" I said, cast Thundara. The mid-sized bolt hit one of the machina and it shuddered, before exploding once Lulu did the same. Auron ran forward and yelled. Slamming his katana down on the third. Deiru followed and cast Waterga, enveloping it in a sphere of water rose into the air. Tidus used Quick Hit, dealing a swift blow before hitting the third one and running back. The machina ran forward and extended a pair of electrical plates, hitting Tidus and either side with them and electrocuting him.

"Like lightning huh? Then take this!" I called, hitting it with another Thundara. The machina fell to the ground, and with a fierce overhead blow Deiru finished off the last one. "Well, that takes care of that," I called. "How come you didn't use that one Overdrive of yours? The new one?" Tidus asked. I shrugged. "I wasn't sure Murderous Blow would work on them. The move is a single attack that deals massive damage, but here's the good part. It has a 10% chance of inflicting Death, and if it does it ignores any immunities they may have to it," I explained. "So I want to save that for a real big enemy." He nodded in understanding, and we kept going.

We found Wakka under sitting under the shade of a fallen machina, and Tidus asked "Wakka You alone?" He nodded, and asked "Where's Yuna?" Tidus looked at me, and I look at Lulu, who in turn looks at Tidus. Auron and Deiru stared straight ahead. "Man! First I lose Yuna, then I'm ambushed by machina! Great day I'm having!" he said, kicking said machina. "It's all been rather rainy for us, despite the fact that we're in a desert. So let's try and fix it," Deiru said. Later we found Kimahri, who was walking up the side of a dune. But it was too steep, and he slid back down.

"Yuna... gone," he said sadly. "It's not your fault Kimahri!" I said, and he looked at me. "Heeey!" we heard a voice yell, and turned to see Rikku running towards us. "Hey guys! Where's Yunie?" she asked. I hung my head, and Tidus said "Gone." "Gone... some guardian I am," Lulu said. "Hey, let's stop thinking that way," I suggested, surprised to hear my magic teacher talk that way. Rikku looked at us hesitantly. "Umm... There's something I want to tell you, but promise not to say anything." Wakka raised and eyebrow and looked at her, and she added "No glaring either!"

"I know where we are. We're on Bikanel Island. There's a place we Al Bhed call Home near here. Yunie's there, I'm sure of it! Other Al Bhed must have come and rescued her!" she said confidently. "Rescued? You mean kidnapped!" Wakka said angrily. I rolled my eyes, and Tidus said "What does it mater as long as we're safe?" "That's right!" Rikku agreed. "Anyway, I'll take there if you promise... that you won't tell anyone about it. Especially not Yevonites, okay? You know they don't like us Al Bhed. Who knows what they'll do if they knew?" she said. "Gimme a break! What are you accusing Yevon of this time?" Wakka asked. "Yevon did something really bad to us a long time ago," she told him.

Still, he crossed his arms and said "Well you Al Bhed must have done something to deserve it!" I yelled angrily and let out my anger in a Thundara spell, blasting a nearby sand dune with a bolt of electricity. "Can't we talk about this later?!" I demanded. "Just promise you won't tell anyone about this island. Promise?" Rikku pleaded. "Wakka, come on!" Tidus said. He looked at him and then at me, seeing my hands crackling with flames. "All right! I promise! Lead the way," he said. "You got it!" she said excitedly. We followed her, but were immediately set up by both another Zu and two more machina. "Ahem! Let me handle the machina. I can take apart piece by piece!" Rikku informed us.

To prove her point she ran forward, using Steal to take an item from it. The moment she did however, the machina literally fell apart. "Awesome!" Tidus said, and I agreed. I ran forward and took a swipe at the Zu, while she dismantled the other machina. Wakka tightened his grip on his ball and said "Alright, here it comes!" He extended his arm out and spun in a circle, using Attack Reels. The ball bounced back and forth countless times and dealt more damage than I could count to the Zu, and it squawked before falling to stand on the ground. Lulu cast Fira and hit it with a large ball of flame, and Rikku tossed a grenade. Both hit at the same time and exploded, killing it.

"Man, these fiends are weak," I muttered, and we followed Rikku. That was, until we came upon the weirdest fiend I had ever seen. It was like a walking cactus, except with arms, legs and a face. "What the heck is that?" I asked. Even though I thought it was no threat, Rikku's eyes widened. "Oh no! It a Cactuar! Watch out!" "Why? It doesn't look so tough," Tidus said, and I agreed. Almost as if it understood us, the Cactuar spun in the air before pointing its head at Tidus and using 10000 Needles. Small dart-like spikes of that number fired at him, enveloping him in a storm of needles.

My eyes widened and he yelled in agony, every single shot puncturing his skin. The Cactuar stopped and jumped back, and he fell to the ground looking like a porcupine."Tidus!" I called, running over to him. Wakka glared at the Cactuar and threw his ball, but it hardly did any damage. I pulled Tidus head up and placed a Phoenix Down in his mouth, moving his head so he'd swallow. Instantly his eyes snapped open and he gasped, first in surprise and then in pain from all the needles. "Good, you're alive. Stay here and pull those thorns out of you. We've got this,." I said, running back.

The Cactuar ran up and licked Auron, but the blow did hardly any damage. Auron's body glowed yellow, and he said "Your pain shall be twofold!" Next to him Deiru glowed bright blue, and they both ran forward to use Armor and Mental Break. Only Auron hit however, and the fiend's armor was destroyed. With that it squeaked and used 10000 Needles again, targeting Auron. He jumped to the side to avoid the first few hundred, but the Cactuar turned and aimed at him again. Auron held his katana in front of him to block some of them, but by the time he was done there were still needles all along him arm and legs.

He fell to his knees, breathing heavily, and Deiru said "Now you're gonna get it!" He jumped into the air and pointed his sword at the sky, where a small patch of thunderclouds appeared. They rumbled, and a red and blue bolt shot down and hit his sword. Deiru smiled and his sword pulsed with energy, before pointing it at the Cactuar and said "Dragon Lightning!" A storm and red and blue bolts shot from his sword and hit the Cactuar and the ground around it. Despite the fact that sand blocked electricity, sparks jumped from one pebble to another, creating a crackling network of energy.

Deiru landed back on the ground and the lightning faded, revealing the Cactuar to be burnt and injured in several places. It squeaked angrily and ran toward him, kicking him in the leg. The blow barely hurt, and I smiled before casting Thundara. That did next to nothing other than made it turn and run to kick me. By then Tidus had manged to pull out of the needles on his body, and stood before using Slice and Dice. He ran forward and slashed at the Cactuar, who didn't jump back fast enough to dodge. Again and again he attacked, knocking it back and dealing further damage. In response it used 10000 needles, but this time Tidus managed to evade the barrage.

Rikku used Steal and took a Chocobo Feather, which she hurriedly mixed with a HP Sphere to use Super Might G. The move gave us all Protect, Shell, Haste and Regen, and when the Cactuar ran up to kick me I didn't even feel it. Smiling, I said "Come on!" before running towards it and using Whirlwind Blade. I hit the Cactuar about nine times, and on the last one it teetered on one leg. Rikku used an Al Bhed Potion to heal all of us, and Tidus ran forward to attack it. The fiend dodged and kicked him before doing the same to Lulu. She dodged his attack, and responded by using Jinx.

The move lowered its evasion, proven so when Kimahri ran forward and slabbed it with his spear. The Cactuar struggled to get away, but he lifted it up by his spear and spun around, tossing it so it slammed into a sand dune. "Nice going, Kimahri!" I called, and he made a small smile. The Cactuar didn't share the sentiment however, as proven by it jumping and yet again using 10000 Needles. The Ronso roared and used Jump, launching himself into their to avoid them. Unfortunately that meant he couldn't dodge the second half of the needles. Kimahri fell to the ground with his legs covered in thorns, which he growled before trying to pull out.

I slashed at the little pest and it dodged, and I bared my teeth. "Okay, that's the last straw!" I said, channeling my strength. My sword burst into black flames, and I ran calling "Murderous Blow!" The Cactuar didn't dodge and the blow hit him head-on, sending him head over heel through the air. Unfortunately it didn't hit it with Death, but the blow itself was strong enough that it swayed from side to side. "Game over, Needles!" Tidus said, running forward and slashing one last time with Brotherhood. The Cactuar made a weak growl of protest before it fell to the ground, dissolving into pyreflies.

We all were silent for a while, trying to regain our breath and pull out any last needles. I muttered, "I officially hate those little green pests." Rikku huffed and crossed her arms, saying "I told you to watch out. For those who know Bikanel island, they know to never go near Cactuars." "Okay, you were right. Now will you take us to Home?" I asked. Satisfied, she nodded and we followed. "What does Home look like?" Tidus asked. "It's a really big complex, completely made of machina and with more rooms than you can count. For the Al Bhed that don't like traveling Spira, Home is, well, their home. I like it," she said. With that we kept walking, until she said "Over here!" and ran up and over a sand dune.

The moment she did however she screamed, and we ran to see what had startled her. Home was spread out before us, but the wondrous residence of the Al Bhed was under attack, parts of it burning while fiends flew through the air. "What's going on?" I asked. She shook her head. "I don't know!" she said, already panicking. "Yuna's down there?!" Wakka asked. "Of all the places... Let's go!" Lulu said. We all agreed whole-heatedly, and raced towards Home. There was only one thing on my mind: If the home the Al Bhed was being attacked while Yuna was still inside, then I had to find her before it was too late.

xxx

Oh dear, our heroes reach Home only to be pulled into battle again! Let's just hope they can make it through!

Please review! If you flame Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	40. Chapter 40

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.40 The Truth About The Pilgrimage

We all ran through the sands of the desert, arriving at the besieged Home in less than a minute. Al Bhed were firing machine guns at rampaging fiends, both sides falling beneath the other. "Where's Yuna?" Wakka asked, and when Rikku didn't answer I repeated the question for him. Before she could answer though another Al Bhed fell next to us, and Rikku gasped, running over and got on her knees next to him. "Keyakku!" she called. "Who? Who's attacking us? Fru tet drec du oui?" she asked. He managed to say "Yevon… Guado…" before he slumped against the ground, his eyes rolling into his head. "Keyakku? Keyakku!" Rikku said, her eyes glistening with tears. "A war between Yevon and the Al Bhed?" Lulu asked.

"Dryd ec fnuhk! Guado ku van dra summoner!" we heard an older voice say. "Vydran…" Rikku said standing and turning. The man before us was older, bald with a tattoo on his head, and wearing a yellow and brown diving suit with blue boots and gloves. A pair of goggles was around his next. I wasn't good at Al Bhed, but I knew enough to know that "Vydran" meant "Father." He kneeled down next to Keyakku and felt for a pulse, while beside him Rikku looked like she was about to cry. Then he stood, looking at us and saying "You Rikku's friends? Well don't just stand there. Let's go kick these Guado out of our home!" he said. The others nodded and followed him, while I looked at Rikku. "Who was that?" I asked.

"Cid. Leader of the Al Bhed. He's my dad," she told us. "Let's go," Tidus said. "Yeah, we have to save Yunie," she agreed. "Not just Yuna, right?" he reminded her, and she said "Right!" We followed the others inside, and Wakka yelled "Yuna! Where are you?" As if in response a Guado ran forward, and three Bombs fell down before us. Not wasting time I cast Blizzara, Lulu doing the same and taking out one Bomb, while the other two cast Fira. The Guado threw a Shremedy and it hit Auron, confusing him and making him to try attack Tidus. He shouted in surprise and jumped back, and I realized with a pang that with Yuna gone she couldn't heal Auron with her White Magic.

"Crap," I muttered, and slashed at the Guado. He took the move and grunted, trying to hit me with a Shremedy as well. I dodged the projectile and stabbed him in the stomach, twisting the blade and killing him. Behind me Auron in his confusion made the mistake of striking a Bomb three times. It swelled once, twice, and when it grew a third time it flew over to him and exploded. Luckily the move snapped him out of it, and when Deiru hit the third bomb with Blizzaga he used Mental Break, lowering its defenses enough for the spell to kill it. "What in Yevon's name are those Guado thinking?" Wakka asked. "This is terrible!" Rikku said. "If those Guado are still following Seymour's orders, then they might be here for Yuna. To get revenge," Deiru suggested.

"Then we had better get to her before they do!" Tidus said, and we all nodded. There were three doors before us, but the ones to the front and left were blocked, so we took the one on the right. Beyond was a hallway filled with soldiers and fiends, and Cid's voice sounded over the intercom. "Drec pedac! Rikku, oui naty sa? Oui ku ihtan, duu! E ys majamehk Home! Yht dra fiend fedred!" he said in Al Bhed. "Oh, no!" she said, and I asked "What'd he say?" "We have to get underground!" she told us. "Where's Yuna?" Auron asked. She ran forward and pointed to the left. "The Summoner's Sanctum! This way!" she called, but just as she did a massive fiend rushed forward.

It was a Dual Horn, and shortly after it came another along with a Guado. Wakka grunted and threw his ball, hitting the first fiend with Dark Buster. The move blinded it and it was unable to see, and the fiend roared before blindly charging forward, ending up ramming into a wall. Lulu smiled and was about to call Thundara when the Guado cast Silence, sealing her magic off. Lulu gasped and held a hand to her throat, before glaring at the Guado who had cast the spell. I did the same, and tossed her an Echo Screen before running forward. Rikku beat me to it and tossed a Grenade, creating a blast that sent the Guado flying until it hit a wall with a sickening crunch.

I felt no sympathy, and ran up to the blinded Dual Horn and used Whirlwind Blade. As I spun in the air and my sword turned into a deadly steel blur, I cut in viciously in the side until a sliver of bone appeared. The beast roared and tried to see where I was, but Auron slammed the blade of his blade against its head and it slumped to the ground. At the sight of its fallen comrade the other Dual Horn roared, and ran forward. It ran into Auron and sent him back, before turning and clawing at Tidus.

I tried to attack the beast and stop its rampage, but it wouldn't stop. "Oh would you just shut up already?!" Deiru yelled. It stopped and turned to look at him, and he stepped forward. "I mean really, just one of you goes down and the other wants to kill everything in sight. You aren't even human anymore- you're not supposed to fell vengeance. So do us all a favor, and shut up would you?" he asked, not even looking at it. The Dual Horn growled before rising on its hind legs and roaring. It slammed back down and charged at Deiru, who was still looking the other way, and I was going to call out to him.

Before I could though he suddenly snapped his head back and pointed two fingers at it, calling "Thundaga!" A massive bolt shot from his fingers and hit the fiend straight in the face, who was too close to dodge effectively. The electricity burned through the fiend's skin, passed through its skull and fired its brain. The fiend made a weak growl before fading away. "Over here!" Rikku shouted, and we ran down the hall to the left. The door opened and we ran down the staircase, but beyond was simply another room with the same destruction. We were all silent for a moment, until Wakka said "This place done for." I was about to snap at him, but then Rikku spoke, and not at all in her usual spirits.

"You're right. You're right, Wakka. We Al Bhed, we... we weren't always like this. Sin destroyed the island where we all used to live. After that, we were scattered to every corner of Spira. But then, my dad brought the Al Bhed together again. If we put our minds to it and worked together, then we could make a new home. Everyone worked hard; we had our Home back again... But now... Why did things have to turn out this way?" she asked. I placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't seem to notice. "Rikku…" Wakka said, before looking away. "Damn those Guado! What are they thinking?" he wondered. Suddenly from the sides two last fiends charged forward, a pair of Chimeras.

They looked the same as they did in the Macalania Woods, only now they were tougher. One ran forward and slammed into me with its bull head and I took several steps back, clutching my chest. Tidus used Slice and Dice, landing a total of seven separate slashes on the beast and causing it to rear back. Kimahri took that chance to use Stone Breath, roaring a blowing out a blast of earthen air. The Chimera froze as its body turned to stone, and with one could rap of my sword it shattered. The other Chimera roared and used Megiddo Flame, sending a ball of flame flying at Kimahri. He grunted and withstood the blow, his clothes slightly burnt. With a shout Wakka threw his ball, which hit it and sent the beast staggering back.

Auron called "You are done!" and used Shooting Star, hitting the fiend hard enough to send it through a wall and into some random room before it faded away. Once we were back to being calm Lulu asked "Rikku, what is the Summoner's Sanctum?" "The Summoner's Sanctum is where we keep the summoners. We keep them safe there," she told us, and Wakka said "You kidnapped them." She nodded sadly. "I get why you did it, but…" he began, before Tidus and I stepped up. "Well, I sure don't get it, Wakka," he said, and I nodded. "Summoners might get hurt on their pilgrimage, so you kidnap them? I mean, if summoners don't do their job, who will beat Sin?"

"Tidus is right. Protecting summoners is the guardians' job, not the Al Bhed's. As long as we guardians do what were supposed to do, things will turn out fine, right?" I asked. No one said anything, and I repeated "Right?" Again there was silence, and both Tidus and I yelled "Right?!" Still no one responded, until Kimahri said "It's quiet. Kimahri goes now." He ran down the steps and the others slowly followed, and Rikku glanced at both of us. There was sadness in her eyes, as well as grief. That could have been from the loss of her people and yet, it wasn't. There was something else, something that didn't seem good. She followed after the others, calling "Yuna! Please be here!"

Mentally noting that Rikku had said "Yun_a_" rather than "Yun_ie_", I trailed after the others while Tidus did the same. We both passed through the door to the Summoner's Sanctum in time to hear her gasp, and when we saw why I gasped as well. Numerous fires burned throughout the room, and the floor was littered with dead bodies. "Yuna!" Kimahri called, and there was silence. That was, until one of my least favorite people, Dona, stepped forward. "She's not here," she said, and we looked at her. "Hello again. Wait until we have performed the sending."

Issaru appeared as well. "They died… protecting us. The least we can do is give them a proper sending," he said, and as they worked together pyreflies began to rise into the air. Suddenly Issaru's brother, Pacce, run up to us, asking "Hey, what 'sacrificed'? The Al Bhed said that summoners were being sacrificed. That they shouldn't have to do the pilgrimage…" I frowned, a grim idea beginning to form in my head. But no… The summoners… They couldn't be- "Why couldn't they trust guardians to protect their summoners? The Al Bhed had no right stopping their pilgrimage!" Tidus exclaimed.

"The pilgrimages have got to stop!" Rikku yelled, her face filled with anguish. "If they don't, they could get to Zanarkand… They might defeat Sin. Yunie could… but then she…" She looked up at us. "Yunie will die, you know?" I froze, my eyes widening. I had been right. Tidus gasped while I stood as stiff as a board, and Rikku continued. "You know, don't you? Summoners journey to get the Final Aeon. Yuna told you, didn't she? With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin… but then… If she calls it, the Final Aeon's gonna kill her. Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Yunie too, you know?" While she fell to her knees in anguish, I was still unmoving.

Yuna, dead? The idea simply couldn't process through my mind. This had to a joke, some sick, cruel joke. If something as important as that had been known, then someone would have told me, right? "Was I the only one… who didn't know?" Tidus said softly. I looked at him, and if it was possible my eyes widened further. Tidus hadn't known either. A rage- red, burning, and terrible- rose within me, and before Tidus could I ran forward and grabbed Rikku's shoulders. "Why? Why would you hide something like that? Tell me," I said, and when she didn't respond I pulled her up until she was forced to look into my eyes. "Tell me!" I yelled. "We weren't hiding it…" Wakka protested weakly. "It was just… too hard to say," Lulu finished.

I let Rikku go and she fell to the ground, my shock redoubling in yet another revelation. They knew, they all _knew_. Every single person in Spira, everyone I had come across, and they all _knew_. Behind me Tidus shrieked and fell to his knees. "Lulu! How could you? How could you? Isn't she like a sister to you? I thought you guys were family! Why don't you do something, Wakka?" he demanded. "Don't you think we tried to stop her? She follows… her heart," Lulu said. "Yuna, she knew what she was doing when she chose to become a summoner. To face Sin, ya? Yuna knew!" Wakka said.

"But Wakka, that's just totally wrong! Summoners shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves… just so the rest of Spira can be happy, right?" Rikku asked him. The pyreflies from the fallen bodies came together, taking the form of a Wendigo. "But that is our choice," Issaru said. "We all live in fear of Sin. You know that," Done said. "A world without Sin… That is the dream of all Yevon's children. And we will use that power even if it means our lives!" Issaru declared. The two of them summoned Valefor and Ifrit to fight the fiends, and Tidus still looked down at the ground. "And I've been telling Yuna… let's go to Zanarkand together! Let's go get Sin! I told her all the things we could… we could… But Yuna, she'd… just smile," he said.

Valefor looked down at Tidus and seemed to enclose its wings protectively, while Ifrit raised its claws to face the Wendigo. But before it could, the fiend trembled and suddenly exploded, dissolving back into pyreflies. The others looked around the room in surprise, as all the other pyreflies began shifting, moving about almost angrily. "What's going on?" Wakka asked, but stopped when he saw me. I was standing in the same place I had been before, only now my sword was drawn and I looked down. "Sofia?" Deiru asked. "You knew," I said quietly, my voice trembling with aggression.

"All of you, everyone on Spira. Besides Tidus, you all KNEW!" I yelled, whipping around d to look at them. The pyreflies shifted about faster, my power to send the fallen combined with my rage affecting them. "I should have seen it; the indications were everywhere. How Lulu said they would protect Yuna 'until the end', the way no one spoke when Tidus mentioned coming back to the Moonflow. And yet, throughout it all, I trusted you all and you KNEW!" I yelled again, my voice rising and growing with each statement. "Sofia! Calm down!" Deiru said.

"NO!" I shouted, and he quieted. "For far too long have I been ignorant, not knowing the truth that existed right before me. I was blind to it so much that it hurt to see. But not anymore. I'm going to find Yuna and get the truth…" I said, and I saw a fiend appear behind Valefor. "And no one is going to stop me!" I finished, running forward and slashing Valefor out of the way. The others gasped, shocked that I would attack an aeon, but at that moment I didn't give a shit. Running forward, I swung Selini and sent a wave of white-hot fire at the Wendigo, killing it instantly before I slammed down on the other, cleaving it in two.

I looked and saw a door at the end open, and before the others could stop me I rushed through. Long ago I had made a vow that I would never cry again, and yet tears still streamed down my face. I would find Yuna, and bring a miserable end to anyone that stood in my path. Al Bhed, Guado, Yevon, I didn't care. If any of them kept me from my sister, they would regret the day they ever met me.

xxx

Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag now. Once she's found will Yuna be able to cure Sofia of her rage? Or has this fact proven too much for her to handle?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	41. Chapter 41

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.41 Before the Raid

After I ran out of the Summoner's Sanctum the others followed, and we got into some vehicle near a flight deck. At the bridge Cid and the guy with tattoos, Rikku's brother, ran forward and Brother hopped into the pilot seat. "Hu desa! Ku, ku, ku!" Cid urged. "Three minute mavd!" Brother replied "Rinno, rinno! Oui ryja one minute!" Cid yelled. I ran into the bridge, Tidus right behind, and he asked "Where's Yuna?" "Ajanouha um puynt?" Cid asked, and Brother replied "Ajanouha ymeja!" My anger was past the point of caution, and I spun Cid around before raising him up by his shirt. "We said 'Where is she?!' And us, damn you!" I yelled, and Tidus nodded.

The others were silent, and Cid was too until he said "What'll you do when you find her, eh?" I looked away. "All this time, I talked about being together with Yuna, not even knowing what summoners are supposed to do!" I said, and Tidus added "I have to tell her, I have to tell her I'm sorry!" Cid glared at us. "That's it? You're gonna tell her you're sorry. And then you just drag her to Zanarkand and make her fight Sin, huh? You're all the same- let the summoner die so we can live in peace!" he said angrily, grabbing both me and Tidus and flipping us through the air. Tidus landed on his side while rolled onto my feet, standing. "No! I'm not gonna let Yuna die!" Tidus yelled.

"Never!" I said. "Ha, words! Show me action!" he said. "I'm telling you, she won't die!" Tidus said, and I added "Not while I live!" Cid stared hard at us. "Boy, girl, you remember those words well. Cause if don't... I'm gonna make you regret," he said. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. I nodded. "Trust me, if I fail I'll let you," I said, my anger abating somewhat. Still, it didn't entirely fade, so I let Tidus ask "So, you know where she is?" "Course not! That's why we're gonna use this airship to find her!" Cid replied. My head snapped up, and Wakka said "A-Airship?!" As if in response the whole ship rumbled, and Brother said "Vydran! Nayto du ku!" "Oaaryy! Y vmekrd 1000 years ujantia!" Cid cheered.

Above us the ceiling opened, showing that we were underground next to Home. Sand poured in, and as the ship rumbled it rose into the air. "Fruy! Ed sujac!" Brother said in wonder. "Necg pek, feh pek!" Cid reminded him. The ship rose out of the launch deck and flew forward, the fiends behind us giving chase. "Fruy! Ed vmeac!" Brother said. "Haqd, fa ica dryd!" Cid ordered, pointing. At that Brother's look of wonder faded, and he hung his head. "Frydajan oui cyo," he said sadly. Then suddenly, he started singing the Hymn of the Fayth. Cid joined in, and as the song progressed so did the other Al Bhed. I was confused; the way they sung it was if something bad was going to happen.

"What's going on?" Wakka asked. Rikku looked as if she was about to cry, and said "We're gonna blow up our Home." My eyes widened, and I looked at Cid. "How the hell are you gonna manage that?" I asked, and he smiled. "With one of the forbidden machina," he replied, before turning back to the other Al Bhed. "Nayto? Vena!" he called. Although I couldn't see it, I felt something blast of from the ship, and through the windshield I saw dozens of missiles fly towards Home. They connected, and the blast was large enough to resembles that a nuclear bomb. The shockwave spread outwards as the airship raced away. As it spread though it gained speed, and for a second it enveloped us. Then Brother pressed harder and the ship sped forward, out of the flames and away from the destruction.

"Gah-hah-hah-hah! Nadinh du cyht!" Cid said. Brother was crying in the pilot seat, and Rikku was barely holding back her tears. "Hu haat vun daync! Fryd ec kuut ypuid machina, ec drao lyh pa piemd yhaf, oui caa?" Cid pointed out. Rikku sniffled, and I placed a hand on her shoulder, my earlier rage momentarily forgotten. "Hey, don't get so down. Boom! Like happy festival fireworks, ya?" Wakka said. I gasped and glared at him, while Rikku said "You can cram your happy festival, you big meanie!" She walked off and sat in one of the chairs, and Wakka hung his head. "Wakka, you really need to work on your comforting skills," I commented. He look at me in surprise, but I was already walking towards Cid.

"You fin her yet?" I asked. "I'm lookin' into it, okay?" he said, and I shied. "Don't worry, I'm using a sphere oscillo-finder. If she's out there, we'll find her," he promised. That made me feel better, and I nodded. "A sphere oscillo-finder?" Tidus asked. "It's an ancient machina. I don't know how it works either, so don't ask me, okay?" he asked. Lulu raised an eyebrow. "And you still use it?" she asked. He chuckled. "To tell you the true, I don't even properly know how this rig flies, either! Because of all the Yevon taboo on machina, we're running around in the dark here! Ain't it a rush, kiddos?" he asked. Wakka looked mortified, and I laughed. He never liked machina in the first place, and now he was flying in one without its captain even knowing how it worked. That had suck. For him, at least.

While Cid and brother worked to find Yuna I let the bridge, wanting to explore more of the ship. While I walked through a corridor I saw Dona lying down on the floor, and I walked p to her. She saw me coming and said "Look, I'm really tired. Leave me. If it's not an emergency, would you mind leaving?" I huffed- even now she still ticked me off- and I began to walk away. Before I got far though she said "Wait," and I stopped, looking back at her. "What would you think if I said I... I was giving up my pilgrimage?" she asked. I shrugged, saying "Besides your guardian, who cares?"

She glared at me, snapping "Show some sympathy!" I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, like you've shown us all this time?" I countered, and she sighed. "You're right." Then she smiled. "Giving up now would be rather anti-climactic, don't you think? Hey, if you ever see Yuna, tell her that she still has a rival out there. Me!" she requested. I smiled. "That's the spirit. And will do," I promised. I kept walking, finding Issaru and Maroda leaning against the wall while Pacce was sleeping. "You're just gonna let him sleep on the floor?" I asked. "He's exhausted; Pacce deserves the rest," Maroda said.

"You guys still plan on going with the pilgrimage? Knowing what will happen?" I questioned. "Hey, I'm not looking forward to my brother dying at the end of this! I wish there was just some way to do it without summoners dying," he said, and I replied "Then let's find a way!" "Easy for you to say. If there was a way, don;t you think someone would have thought of it in the last thousand years?" he asked. That was true, but I said "I refuse to give up hope!" and walked away. There was no one else on board besides the Al Bhed, and I couldn't understand a word they said, so I returned to the bridge.

To my surprise I saw Auron and Deiru arguing with Cid, and Auron asked "After rescuing Yuna, then what? You want to keep her safe, correct?" Deiru added "Are you going to try and stop her from continuing her pilgrimage?" "Of course! If she continues this fool pilgrimage, she will die! Sure as if you killed her yourself. No hare-brained law or teaching can send my little niece to her death! When I save her, I'll make her give up being a summoner quicker than a desert melts ice!" he promised. "Even against her will?" Deiru pressed. "Better than a dog's death! And I'll take down anyone who don't agree!" he said. Auron looked like he wanted to sigh and roll his eyes, but all he did was say "You are the captain."

"Good! Then it's settled then!" Cid said, satisfied that he had won. Behind his back Deiru acted like he was strangling someone invisible, and I laughed. Realizing that he had been caught, Deiru at least had the decency to hang his head and walk away. He had almost made it out of the room when Brother yelled "Vydran! Fa vuiht Yuna!" He spun back around, and I asked "What?" "We found her!" Cid cheered, before he looked at brother and asked "Frana?!" "E femm cruf oui!" he said, and the windshield was covered by a projection. It showed a still of Yuna, standing in a white dress with two soldiers by the edge of the image. Behind her stood Maester Mika, while holding her arm was-

"Seymour?!" I yelled. The screen went white, and Tidus asked "Where was that?" "The Palace of St. Bevelle. Heart of Yevon," Lulu told him. I smiled and looked at Cid, but Tidus beat me to the punch by saying "Gramps, let's move!" "Easy, kiddo. Bevelle's defenses are top-notch," Cid warned. "So what? Didn't you just say that you'll take down anyone who didn't agree? We found Yuna, so we go rescue her. That's all there is to it!" I reminded him, and Tidus said "Yeah!" He chuckled. "You got guts," he complimented, before turning to Brother. "Cad luinca du Bevelle! Vimm cbaat yrayt!" he ordered. "Nukan!" Brother replied, and pressed the petal to the metal.

The airship rocketed forward at such a speed that I had to brace myself, while Tidus fell back. "It'll take a while to get to Bevelle. Meanwhile..." Cid said, and Tidus stood, saying "We prepare for battle!" I smiled, cracking my knuckles and working my head from side to side. "Oh, this is gonna be good," I said. "What's Seymour doing alive? Didn't we take care of him in Macalania?" Rikku asked. "He is dead. As dead as Jyscal was. His attachment to this world prevented him from moving on to the next," Auron explained. "Whoa, scary!" she said, and I agreed. "Yuna must be trying to send him," Deiru suggested, and Rikku said "Wonder if that'll work." "Perhaps he won't expect it," Auron said, walking off.

"I'm glad Yuna's okay and all, but what's with those fancy clothes?" Wakka asked. "It's called a wedding dress," lulu said, and both Wakka and I called "What?!" "Cid, you better hurry there quick! I'll burn in Hell before I let Yuna get married to that creep!" I said. "I'm right with you there," he said, before calling to Brother "Rinno ed ib! Vycdac, vycdan!" "E ys kuehk yc vycd yc e lyh!" he replied. "Drah ku vycdan!" Cid commanded. Brother groaned, but pushed harder and the ship increased in speed. Just as he did that though, there were feral roars from below and the ship rocked back and forth.

Rin the salesman walked in, saying "We're being attacked from within. Some of the Guado that attacked Home must have snuck on board." "You're awfully calm about it!" Cid yelled, and he replied "I am calm about most things." "Fiends! There's nothin' to do but-" he started, but then Rikku jumped in front of him and said in his voice "But destroy the ship and all go down together!" He went "Huh?" and looked at her, and she sighed, shaking her head. "You gotta learn a little restraint, Pops," she said, walking towards the door. "if you crash the ship, we can't go save Yunie! Leave the fiends to us professionals!" she said.

I added "And I'll help!" "Me too!" Tidus said. "Thanks," she said, and Rin told her "Rikku, you've made some very good friends, I think. Good luck." She nodded, and along with the others we ran out of the bridge.

xxx

Man, writing in Al Bhed is always a pain in the ass. But I have don't it, and I hope you enjoy! Because next chapter is the raid on Bevelle!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	42. Chapter 42

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.42 The Raid on Bevelle

Along with the others Rikku, Tidus and I ran through the airship, fighting any Guado or fiends that we came across. As we reached the bridge though, I looked at the window and saw a huge dragon-like creature, and I stopped. "What the hell is that?!" I asked, pointing. "Huh, now there's a rare sight," Deiru said, and Tidus added "Whoa, that's huge!" "The guardian wyrm, Evrae. The great sacred beast- protector of Bevelle!" Lulu explained. "The red carpet has teeth," Auron said, and despite the situation I chuckled. "Wait, that means we're close to Bevelle!" Tidus said. Then Cid said over the intercom "Rikku, you read me? We're gonna fight that. Get on deck and show him what you got! Go!"

My jaw unhinged, and I said "What?!" "There he goes again," Rikku said. "The ferryman asks a high price," Auron commented. I nodded, but smiled all the same. "Hey, this'll be the perfect chance to let out some pent-up frustration," I said, drawing my sword. "Maybe, but unlike you all I'm feeling now is nervous," Wakka said. Deiru looked at him. "Just nervous? I'm surprised you're not scared of fighting the great sacred beast," he said. Wakka winced. "That too." I laughed, but ran forward and got on the lift to the deck. The others joined, and it rose to the door that led out. Once outside I could see the sky for miles around, and the wind hit me in the face with surprising force.

Before I had the chance to enjoy the view however, Evrae rose out and flew next to the ship. The side of the ship opened, revealing dozen of missile silos ready to fire. "We gotta keep our distance, kids, but we can't let her get too far away. You all have to tell me when to move. But tell me quick! This rig ain't so nimble, you hear?" Cid called. Tidus and I nodded, and he said "Roger, we'll relay the commands!" "Not alone you won't!" Rikku said, and I nodded. Evrae growled and clawed at Lulu, who dodged and cast Blizzara. A chunk of ice the size of a table hit it on the head, but the beast barely even blinked. "What?" she said. "Evrae is resistant to all elemental forms of magic. Stay back!" Deiru called.

She nodded and moved aside, and Deiru slashed at the beast with his huge sword. It growled and clawed back, scratching his arm from wrist to elbow. Kimahri handed him a Hi-Potion and he drank, the bleeding from the claw marks stopping and healing slightly. Auron's body glowed a bright blue and he charged forward, slamming down his katana and inflicting Mental Break. Now that it was weaker against magic Lulu raised her arms over her head, concentrating before she used Drain Fury. An orb of light shot from Evrae and hit Lulu, who was suffused in a warm green light. It happened seven more times, and by the time she was done she glowed with health.

Evrae reared back its head and inhaled, and Deiru's eyes widened. "Cid! Move back now!" he called. "Just a minute!" he replied. "What?" I asked, but instead he said "Tidus! Slow that thing down!" He nodded and cast Slow, and the beast's movements became sluggish and less quick. "Don't be falling now!" Cid warned, taking the controls and moving to the left. We pulled away from Evrae, just as it roared and unleashed Poison Breath. My eyes widened as a huge blast of toxic green breath billowed around, before it was whipped away by the breeze. "That's what," Deiru said, and I nodded. Now that it was far away Tidus, Auron, and Rikku wouldn't be able to attack, so Wakka threw his ball and used Dark Attack.

The move hit and successfully blinded Evrae, who roared in confusion at the sudden darkness. I smiled and watched Kimahri used Lancet, draining its health and magic. Both Deiru and I cast Watera at the same time, and I aimed the water to go straight down the beast's gullet. It screeched in surprise and coughed, trying to swallow the unexpected drink. I smiled wider, but that faded when the beast flew down and out of our sight. "What the-?" I asked when suddenly the beast rose up right in front of the ship and swung its tail, slamming it into us. Wakka shouted in pain, and I ran forward, using Whirlwind Blade. I slashed it a total of seven times across the chest, and it reared its head back before shooting a beam of light at me.

Instantly my body froze up, and I couldn't move as it turned to stone. "Sofia!" Rikku said, but I couldn't respond. Tidus tried to get me to move, but when he shook my shoulder I fell like a statue. "What's going on?" he asked, and Rikku replied "She's been petrified! Hold on!" The others nodded and kept fighting Evrae, while Rikku knelt next to me and pulled an Al Bhed Potion out of her pouch. She uncorked it and placed the bottle against my lips, pouring it in gently. My body relaxed and I gulped the liquid, standing. "Thanks," I said, and she nodded. I glared at Evrae as it inhaled again, and Tidus called "Go back! Farther away!" "Just a minute!" Cid called. Tidus recast Slow on the beast to keep it sluggish, and Deiru's body glowed red before he used Power Break.

Evrae grunted from feeling its strength weakened, and I smiled. "Don't be falling now!" Cid warned, steering us away. Again Evrae unleashed Poison Breath, and again he missed. I concentrated and cast Drain, healing myself while it was weakened. The beast lost its darkness status, and breathed deeply before unleashing Photon Spray. Countless balls of energy streamed out its mouth, and although it tried to dodge one of them hit me square in the chest. I feel back, and was sent to the ground as another hit me in the side of the leg. Wakka grunted as he deflected one with his ball, but in exchange got one straight in the face. The others were all hit as well, and although it couldn't smile I could almost see Evrae smirk.

That was what set me off, and suddenly all the rage I had felt when I learned about Yuna's fate came rushing back. My anger grew and doubled with each passing second, until I felt myself trembling with rage. Kimahri used Aqua Breath and sent a stream of water at Evrae, and the beast easily dodged it. It used Swooping Scythe again, clearly the distance and attacking us. "Man, this stinks!" Tidus called, but that was the moment I was waiting for. "Get back," I said, and although I was calm even he could sense the emotion in voice. He looked at me and hurriedly stepped aside, and I stood in front of the others.

Evrae growled and I glared him, my sword crackling with energy. "I promised that I would get to Yuna, no matter who tried to stop me. And you, Evrae, are in my way!" I said, yelling the last part. The energy around my sword spread, until it surrounded me and I rose into the air. Evrae growled in surprise and clawed at me, but a spark of power fired and sent the beast back. "Yuna is my sister, the one person most important to me in my life now. And if you don't let us through, I will show you just how strong I can be!" I said. Still it didn't move, and I smiled. "Fine, then have it your way."

I focused all my power into the tip of my sword, which shined with light before I pointed it at Evrae and called "Take this! Ultimate Overdrive: Armageddon!" An arrow of light shot from Selini and pierced Evrae straight through the heart, but when it exited it shot back without even turning, and in seconds the beast was trapped in a crystalline prison of light. Then I pointed my sword at the sky and fired another beam into the clouds, which turned dark and rumbled angrily. A trio of hurricanes shot down and blasted Evrae from three different angles, and it roared as the twisters battered it with F5 level winds. My sword changed into light and shrunk, turning into an orb of silver and purple fire in my hand.

"Take this!" I called, and threw the orb at Evrae in the center of the twisters. It exploded in a blast that cleared the twisters and threatened to tear Evrae apart at an atomic level. It roared and thrashed, sundered apart by light, heat and raw power. When it faded I fell to the ground, immediately falling to my knees. Deiru knelt beside me. "Sofia? You okay?" he asked. I nodded, even though I was exhausted from the use of that move. Evrae made one more roar before it exploded into pyreflies, and I smiled. "Looks like that did the trick," I said, and Deiru chuckled.

Suddenly I heard a bang, and a trail of smoke began leaking from the back of the ship. At that same moment I felt the wind lessen slightly, and Cid called "We're losing power to the ship! We aren't gonna hold forever!" I frowned worriedly, but that faded when I heard him add "But on the bright side, I see Bevelle!" all our heads snapped up and I smiled, my exhaustion forgotten when I saw Bevelle laid out before us. Wedding bells chimed in the air, and I could make out the figures of Seymour and Yuna walking up the aisle. Legions of soldiers stood, but whether to protect them or make sure Yuna didn't try to run I didn't know.

Once they were together Yuna and Seymour walked up the steps, and as they did all the pyreflies from Evrae descended. I could see Maester Kinoc wave his hand, and several soldiers knelt down, guns at the ready. The airship burst through the clouds and I held on tight, just as the soldiers began firing. One bullet whizzed by my ear not the length of a wire away, and I glared at them. Seymour grabbed Yuna's hands and pulled her up the steps, and as we flew by I gave him a mock-salute, though my eyes blazed with hatred. The ship stopped moving and fired two harpoons, which bit into the ground by the end of the aisle.

More soldiers and even machine monsters began firing, and I jumped onto one of the harpoons. The others did the same, and Tidus smiled at the adrenaline rush. At one point the two lines intersected, and the two of us flipped through the air, switching lines. We reached the ground just as the lines snapped, and the airship flew away. I glared at Seymour, who was standing next to Yuna at the far end, surrounding my guards while a sea of them stood in front of us. "Yuna!" Tidus and I called, running forward. Immediately a trio of soldiers ran up to us, but I cast Watera and sent the wave of water across the ground before casting Blizzara, turning the floor slick.

The soldiers shouted as they slipped, stray gunfire shooting through the air. Kimahri ran forward and slashed his spear, sending one back across the ice and knocking into another. Deiru cast Thundaga and blasted the third, frying him through his armor and helmet. Two more ran up, one holding a gun and another with a flamethrower while a machina stood behind them. I tried to run for the machina but the soldiers stopped me, the regular level his rifle before pulling the trigger. I jumped to the side just in time, and glared at him before stabbing Selini into his stomach. He gargled for a second before falling off, and I pulled Selini out, its blade red with blood.

Lulu cast Thundara to destroy the machina and Wakka knocked out the one with the flamethrower. We kept running, and I cut down any soldier in my path. Now that I had her in my sights, I would stop at nothing to save Yuna.

xxx

The raid on Bevelle has begun! What will Sofia do when she and the others realize the truth about Yevon? With whom will she be imprisoned? And how long will it be before she is reunited with Yuna?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	43. Chapter 43

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.43 The Face of Yevon

I was within walking distance of Yuna, ready to fight Seymour as well if I had to, when Maester Kinoc pointed a rifle at us. "This has gone far enough!" he said. I growled and prepared to strike him down, but then circle of soldiers surrounded us, guns aims and ready to fire. "I'm sorry, but it is for Yevon," Kinoc said, and Auron asked "Aren't those weapons against Yevon?" He smiled. "Well, there are exceptions." I glared at him, and muttered "Hypocrite." Yuna looked at us, before turning to Seymour and raising her rod. Seymour smirked at her. "You would play at marriage just for a chance to send me? Your resolve is admirable. All the more fitting to be my lovely wife," he said..

Yuna began the sending and pyreflies began to drift out of Seymour's body when suddenly Maester Mika stepped forward. "Stop! Do you not value your friends' lives?" he asked. My eyes widened, and she paused. "Your actions determine their fate. Protect them, or throw them away! The choice is yours," he told her. Yuna looked at him and then at us, and without speaking I told her "Do it, Yuna! Bring an end to this son of a bitch!" But her expression became defeated, and she dropped her staff to the ground, clattering and falling down the steps.

Seymour smiled and slowly walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Tidus grunted furiously, and I shared the sentiment. This bastard was going to continue the marriage, with us right of him! Rikku looked from em to Lulu, but I knew that there was nothing I could do. Seymour lowered his head down, and pressed his lips against Yuna's. Wedding bells chimed, and all the monks clapped their hands. I bared my teeth and energy crackled around my sword, while beside me Tidus was just barely holding himself back. Yuna's hand balled up in a fist, and Seymour pulled her against his chest. "Kill them," he ordered simply. Guns cocked and Yuna gasped, breaking out of his grip and running to the edge.

"No! Throw down your weapons! Let them go, or else," she warned, slowly walking back. Faced with no choice, the soldiers pulled their guns away, but Seymour looked at Yuna amusedly. "This is foolish. If you fall, you'll die," he pointed out. I looked at Yuna worriedly, but she said "Don't worry; I won't fall. I can fly." I didn't understand, but she added "Believe." I was unsure, but Tidus nodded and so did I. She walked back and crossed her arms over her chest, falling over the edge. "Yuna!" I called, running forward. Seymour was right beside me, and we both looked down at the trail of feathers in the air. Below I could just make out Yuna, and a circle of light appeared around her.

Four shots of light fired into the sky, and Valefor burst through the clouds, flying at breakneck speed towards Yuna. She caught her just in time, and I smiled as Yuna laid against the aeon's chest. Suddenly Rikku yelled "Cover your eyes!" and threw something onto the ground. Hastily I did as I was told, just barely blocking the blinding flash of light. Various monks and soldiers screamed, and we took the opportunity to run down the steps. "What was that?" Wakka asked. "An Al Bhed flash-bomb!" she replied. I laughed at the simple brilliance of it and kept running. "Where's Yuna?" Lulu asked.

"Bevelle Palace is temple. Yuna goes to one place only," Kimahri said, and Tidus and I both said "The Chamber of the Fayth!" We ran into the palace, seeing a long spiral staircase below us. The sounds of shouting could be heard faintly behind us, and I said "We have to hurry!" "What's a machina doing here?" Tidus asked, pointing at a control box. My eyes widened, and Rikku said "I suppose it make getting around easier. He reached for the large blue button, and just as Deiru called "Wait!" he pressed it. Instantly the staircase flattened, turning into a long, sleek and, as I automatically found out, slippery slide. We all shouted as we slid down, going in a spiral and clearing the length of the staircase in seconds.

The sounds of shouting faded away, and when we reached the bottom I saw that the doorway was covered by an electrical field. "Another one? Man," Wakka said. "So this is Yevon's true face. They betray their own teachings," Auron said. Wakka sighed. "They treated us like dirt." I nodded, saying "I always knew something about Yevon seemed fishy." Wakka looked at me but didn't say anything, and we walked through the door. "The entrance to the Trails," Lulu announced. "I wonder if Yunie's really in there," Rikku said. "Let's go an see!" Wakka said, and Lulu added "Let's go!" And we all entered the Cloister of Trials.

_ After the Trials..._

We all ran into the antechamber, and Tidus and I called "Yuna?" "Inside, maybe?" Wakka suggested. "Then what are we standing around here for?" Tidus asked. I nodded, and we ran to the doorway and began pulling it up. "H-Hey!" Wakka protested, and I yelled "Oh shut it, Wakka!" "You can stuff your taboos!" Tidus called, and quieted. Kimahri knelt next to us and helped, and with his strength the door slowly rose. I tried to duck under but it lowered, and so I had to hold it up and let Tidus crawl through. Once he was in we let the door drop and it slid back into place. "Now what?" I asked, and Lulu said "Now we wait." I looked at her, but the expression in my magic teacher's face left no room for argument.

So instead I grunted unhappily and sat in front of the door, my legs in lotus position with Selini resting on top of them. If any soldiers got here and went after Yuna, they would have to go through me. Eventually the sounds of soldiers shouting appeared again, and I gripped my sword tighter. Auron and Deiru hefted their sword, Kimahri held his spear, Rikku pulled out a grenade, Wakka readied his ball and Lulu's hand glowed with magic. We stood there for a second, until a machina burst through the doorway and aimed at us. Wakka threw his ball and knocked it back, and Lulu fried it with a Thundara spell.

The machina exploded, but behind it poured through a stream of soldiers. I ran into the heart of them, jumping and using Whirlwind Blade. All the soldiers around me fell, their armor having proven useless to my blade. One of the soldiers with a flamethrower aimed at me, but Lulu doused the flames with Watera before casting Blizzara and freezing him in place. Another machina, one that was tall and hopped on one foot, kicked Kimahri up into the air before jumping and slamming its foot into his stomach, sending him into the wall so hard it left a Kimahri-shaped dent in it. Said Ronso roared and used Fire Breath, blasting a huge fireball out of his mouth that sent the machina to the ground, slightly melted.

More and more soldiers came through, and we began to be pushed back. I grunted and stabbed one soldier in the side, instantly pulling my sword out and slashing another before kicking a third in between the legs. On the other side of the room Wakka used Attack Reels, spinning in a circle and throwing his ball countless times at the enemy. Auron slammed his katana against the helmet of a soldier so hard the metal buckled, and Deiru froze an entire squad with a Blizzaga spell. Another of the flamethrower-carrying soldiers took aim and fired. A stream of flames billowed out and towards us, and I barely dodged the assault. Rikku wasn't so lucky, and she shouted as the end of her shirt caught fire.

Hastily she used a Water Gem and put it out, before glaring at the soldier. "Take this, you big meanie!" she called, and used Nega Burst. A huge orb of energy exploded over our heads, blasting into the enemy and hitting them with gravity-like energy. Instantly all the soldiers fell to their knees, and Lulu smiled as she cast Watera Fury. The combined power of all nine spells sent a tidal wave at the enemy, who were simply washed away and out the door. We ran to it and attacked any soldiers that tried to get back in, forcing them into a bottleneck. I stabbed Selini into the foot of one soldier, watching with satisfaction how he hopped on one foot. Then Auron ran forward and used Shooting Star, sending the soldier flying back through the door and crashing into the others.

I wanted to say that we were winning, but the soldiers seemed endless, and as such they just kept coming. A trio of machina bust through and immediately fire, sending us back from a trio of cannon-like blasts. With us forced back the soldiers had the room to get in, and they did just that. Two aimed at me and I cast Drain on them both, taking away their energy to restore my own. The same machine trio fired again, and I had to roll out of the way to avoid being hit again. Deiru jumped off the head of one soldier into the air and called "That is enough! Draco Lightning!" His sword crackled with red and blue lightning, and when he pointed it at the soldiers it sent countless bolts of electricity a them.

Because the armor and weapons of the soldiers was metal, the bolts easily jumped from person to person and from person to machina. All the soldiers in the room screamed with pain as they were electrocuted, and when they all fell Deiru lowered to the ground. Before we had time to celebrate however, we heard the sound of the door to the Chamber of the Fayth opening. My eyes widened, and Rikku called "Wait, don't come out!" But it was too late, and just as Tidus walked out the door carrying Yuna in his arms the last squad of soldiers ran in, guns cocked and aimed. Maester Kinoc waled in front of them and said "There's the last of them. You are to stand trial!" "It will be a fair trial, I expect," Auron said.

Kinoc laughed and said "Of course it will," while smiling deviously. "Don't count on it," Deiru muttered. I nodded, but there was still nothing we could do, and so I sheathed my sword before I was herded out of the Chamber along with my friends.

xxx

Later we all stood on a hovering platform, seeing all four of the maesters above us. One of them, a Ronso, stepped forward and said "The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon's name. To those on trial: believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth." I nudged Lulu and whispered "Who is that?" "Maester Kelk Ronso," she whispered. "Summoner Yuna, you have sworn to protect the people of Spira, true?" Maester Kelk asked, and she replied "Yes." "Then, consider. You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado, conspire with the Al Bhed, and joined in their insurrection.

"These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence," he ordered. "Your Grace..." Yuna said, before looking up. "the real traitor is Maester Seymour! He killed his father Jyscal with his own hands!" she told him. Maester Kelk looked at her in surprise, before turning to the other maesters. "What is this?!" he asked. Seymour looked at him impassively, and said "Hmm? Hadn't you heard?" "Not only that," Yuna continued. "Maester Seymour is already dead!" "It a summoner's sworn duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane! Yuna was only doing her job as a summoner!" Lulu added.

"Grand Maester Mika, please! Send Seymour now!" she requested. Maester Kelk stepped aside, and Maester Mika stepped forward. "Send the unsent to where they belong?" he asked, and she replied "Yes!' Mika made a short laughed, one that sent chills down my spine. "Maester?" Yuna asked hesitantly. "Send the unsent, hmm?" he asked, and suddenly pyreflies drifted out of his body. Both Yuna and I gasped. "You would have to send me too," he announced. "What?!" Wakka called. "Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he is invaluable to Spira," Maester Kelk explained.

"Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living," Kinoc said. "Life is but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal," Seymour added. I looked at them both, and then back at Mika when he spoke. "Men die. Beasts die. Trees die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting its power is futile," he said. "But what of Sin? I am a summoner, my lord, like my father before me! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you... Are you telling me that, too, is futile?" Yuna asked. "Grand Maester Mika, I am not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin... Their battles, their sacrifices-were they all in vain?" she demanded angrily.

There was silence for a moment, until Mike replied "Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a summoner." "Never futile... but never ending," Auron summarized, and he nodded. "Indeed, that is the essence of Yevon," he concluded. "This is bullshit," Deiru muttered, and I nodded in agreement. "Lord Mika!" Yuna called. "Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, summoner," he said. "No... that can't be right," she protested. "Those who question these truths- they are traitors!" he called. Yuna looked at him. "Lord Mika!" she called desperately. But he wouldn't listen and we were taken away.

xxx

The true nature of Yevon has been revealed! Now that is has, will the group manage to escape Bevelle intact? And how Sofia people to help Yuna with her faith destroyed?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	44. Chapter 44

Author's Note: I do not own Finial Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.

**Notice:** AWW HECK YEAH! FIVE THOUSANDS VIEWS AND STILL KICKING IT! This wouldn't be possible of it wasn't for you, my wonderful readers, then this wasn't have been even possible. Thank you so much!

Ch.44 Via Purifico

After learning the truth about Yevon we were taken to our respective cells, and I was shoved into a bird-like cage alongside Tidus, Auron and Deiru. While the three of us were content to just stand there and work with our thoughts, Tidus didn't have nearly as much patience. "Get me out of here! I want out now! You hear me?" he yelling, pulling out and shaking the bars. I rolled my eyes, and Auron said "You waste your breath." "Sit down; unless you feel like plunging to your death then there is nothing that you can do," Deiru added.

Tidus grunted, but ended up sighing and sitting down. He knew Deiru was right. The cell we were in was hanging by a single large chain, and beneath us was a bottomless pit that reached far, far below Bevelle itself. If the chain was to snap or one of us falls through bars, death was inevitable. "Man, I hope Yuna's okay," he remarked. I nodded in agreement, and Auron said "She's strong, she make it." "She'll make it? What, so she can die?" he asked. I looked away; the mere thought of Yuna dying was still enough to make my heart literally feel like it had been stabbed.

Tidus sighed again. "Why is it… everything in Spira seems to revolve around people dying?" Deiru chuckled humorlessly. "Ah, so have stumbled upon it." I looked at him. "Stumbled upon what?" I asked. "The spiral of death," Auron replied. We both looked at them confusedly, and Deiru explained "Summoners challenge the bringer of death, Sin, and die doing so. Guardians give their lives for the summoner. The fayth are souls of the dead. Even the maesters of Yevon are unsent. Only Sin is reborn, and then only to bring more death."

"It is a cycle of death, spiraling endlessly," Auron finished. I thought about that; what a bleak image it presented. Spira truly was a land of death. And although Sin was the cause of it, every time it died Sin would only be reborn to begin the cycle anew. "Is there no way to destroy Sin forever?" I asked. Deiru and Auron shrugged. "If one exists, it has yet to be found," Auron told me. I sighed myself, all of us falling back into silence. I don't know how long we stayed there, but eventually we heard footsteps and Maester Kinoc appeared.

"Come out. Your sentence has been decided," he announced. Deiru raised an eyebrow. "Sentence? Don't you mean execution?" he asked. "Really now, what person would execute a pair of dear friends?" he asked, and Auron replied "You would." I laughed and Kinoc frowned, waving his hands towards a group of six soldiers. One turned a wheel against the wall and our cage moved towards the edge of the walkway. Once we were close enough a second soldier opened the door, while the other four pointed their guns at each one us and gestured for us to step out.

We had no choice and did so, walking in the middle of the soldiers and led by Maester Kinoc. Eventually Deiru and Auron were moved down a separate hallway, and a trio of soldiers herded us into a room that was half filled with a huge pool. The guards kept their guns trained and pushed Tidus towards the edge, saying "Looks like you're next." "Next for what?" he asked, but the soldier just shoved the point of his gun into his back, shoving Tidus into the water. "Get going!" he said, and I asked "Where are the rest of our friends?" "Floating down somewhere, maybe," he replied. Tidus grunted and swam down, and the guard prepared to do the same to me.

Before he could however I grabbed the gun, channeling a Thunder spell through the metal of it strong enough to burn his hands. He shouted and stumbled back, his hands making a sizzling sound despite the fact he was still wearing his gloves. "I'll let myself in, thank you very much," I said, and before they could do anything I dived into the water. Swimming down, I saw a rectangular hole about fifteen feet below and swam to it, going through and seeing three set of legs floating above. I smiled and rose up, breaking the surface and seeing the heads of Tidus, Wakka and Rikku.

"Alright, you made it!" Wakka said, and I nodded. "What's our sentence?" Tidus asked. "Think they expect us to give up and die down here," he informed us. I frowned. "That's a lazy way to kill someone," I said, and Tidus added "Lame." "Where's Yunie?" Rikku asked, and we shrugged. "Maybe we should wait for her…" she suggested. "Let's wait at the exit," Tidus said, and I nodded. "If there is an exit," she reminded us, and I said "Well, it's about time we found out." All three of them agreed, and we swam back beneath the water in search.

We kept going, eventually reaching a series of huge chambers that were separated by locks. We were about to undo the locks when suddenly hundreds of pyreflies streamed past us. I was about to silently ask what they were when they suddenly came together, forming a giant fiend. My eyes widened; it was Evrae. It was different this time though; it had no wings and seemed to moving rather slowly, a red and green smoke issuing from its mouth. We all readied to fight, and the beast roared loud enough to be heard despite being underwater.

I grunted and unsheathed Selini, swimming forward and slashing it across the chest. Evrae roared before looking at me, using Stone Gaze. Instantly my body turned to stone, and I began sinking through the water. Rikku shouted and gestured to the others to keep Evrae busy while she swam down to me. I was sinking fast, and Rikku just barely managed to pry my mouth open and feed me a Soft. My body began moving again, and I nodded my thanks at her before swimming up. Evrae clawed at Tidus and scratched the shield on his arm, creating a trio of scrapes along it.

Smiling, I waved my sword to get Evrae's attention before my sword burst into black flames, burning despite the water around it. It looked down at me and I put in an extra burst of speed, stabbing Selini into the cut I made earlier. The flames winked out in explosion that sent Evrae through the water into the wall, pieces of rubble breaking off and sinking. Unfortunately my Murderous Blow didn't inflict Death, but it did deal a massive amount of damage and make the fiend a lot madder than before. I smiled; and when an enemy was mad they made mistakes.

Evrae proved me right when it slashed at Wakka, who corkscrewed out of the way and threw his ball, making it growl from the force of the impact. The spines along its back glowed before unleashing Photon Spray. Blasts of light streamed forth at the four of us, and I grit my teeth in pain. I pulled a Hi-Potion out of my pocket, but before I could use it Evrae slashed at me and sent me crashing into the gate. I glared at it in pure rage, and not even caring about the fact it would heal him, I threw the Hi-Potion at the fiend.

To my utter surprise though, when the bottle shattered and the green color of it spread through the water, Evrae screeched and pulled back, clawing at its face like it had been splashed with acid. I frowned in confusion, and motioned for Rikku to hand me an Al Bhed Potion. She did, and I took aim before throwing that as well. The same thing happened, and my eye widened it realization. The sluggish movements, the red-green breath, Evrae had been inflicted with Zombie status! I smiled hugely, drawing a trio of Potions from my pockets and throwing one after the other.

Tidus, Wakka and Rikku did the same, the fiend screeching and screaming as it was pelted with healing items that instead hurt it. It reared its head and was about to use Stone Gaze on all four of us when I pulled out a Phoenix Down and tossed it into the air. The usual ray of light shined down on Evrae, who screamed and thrashed about as its body burned like a bonfire under the light. It tried to reach for us but stopped, exploding into a blast of pyreflies. We all looked at each and smiled, unlocking the gates and swimming through the water towards the exit, glad in our success.

When we reached the exit we pulled out of the waters to see that we were just outside Bevelle, and once Tidus and I pulled ourselves out of the water we helped Wakka and Rikku out as well. "You're all okay!" I heard a voice call, and froze. Slowly, very slowly, I turned around and saw Lulu, Kimahri, Auron and Deiru standing before us. But in front of them all, smiling in happiness and relief was Yuna. My vision fragmented by sudden tears, and before I could waste another second I called "Yuna!" and ran forward. She ran towards me, and we hugged each other tightly.

"Sofia, you're okay," she said, hugging me even tighter. Tears of happiness streamed down my face, and I said "It's me who should be saying that. We finally rescued you. I was so mad when I saw Seymour do that in front of us." Yuna pulled back and looked at me, and I saw that her eyes were shining with tears as well. "It's okay; we're together again… Sister," she said, pulling me back into her embrace. I held her and felt myself overflowing with joy. Sister… that's right. Before all this happened and we were separated, we had made the promise to be real sisters from now on. And now that promise could be kept.

I was content to just stand there forever, holding Yuna in my arms and never willing to let go, but then I heard a series of marches and regular footsteps, along with a sudden chill down my spine. My eyes snapped back open; I knew the source of that chill. Yuna and I pulled apart and looked to see Seymour walk towards us, followed by three Guado guards, one human guard and Kinoc. There seemed to be something strange about the way Kinoc was walking though. When they stopped I saw why, as the human soldier dropped him to the ground, where he lay motionless.

"Kinoc!" Auron and Deiru said, and Tidus added "Why, you!" Seymour smiled. "I have saved him. He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared losing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see... Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal," he announced. "Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away... Ah, yes. So you see... If all life were to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Do you not agree? That, Yuna is why I need you," Seymour explained. He extended his hand and she took a step back, while I moved in front of her protectively.

"Come, Lady Yuna. Come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this... I will take from you your strength, Yuna, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!" he said confidently. "Do you have any idea how crazy you sound right now?" I asked, and Tidus added "You're totally nuts!" Kimahri could take no more and ran forward, stabbing his spear into Seymour's chest. He stared at Seymour, who stared back in silence. He looked down at the spear lodged in his chest and said "Unpleasant. Very well. I will give you your death. You seem to want it so."

Seymour held up his rod, and I watched as energy swirled around it. All four of the soldiers and Kinoc dissolved into pyreflies, which flew towards and _entered_ Seymour's body. He groaned in pain and worked his head from side to side. His claws and the rest of his body turned white and stone-like, adorned with purple armor and stone wings. He floated in the air above us, and Kimahri looked back. "Run! Protect Yuna!" he called. "Go!" Auron called.

"No way! I'm fighting!" Tidus said, and I nodded in agreement. Both Auron and Deiru held their swords in front of us, and Deiru said "We said go!" Tidus, Yuna and I looked at each other, before reluctantly nodding and running.

xxx

How sweet, the whole gang is back together again! But next chapter comes the very annoying battle against Seymour Natus and all the difficulties therein. Hope you enjoy!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	45. Chapter 45

Author's Note: I do not own Finial Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.

Ch.45 Escape

We ran Downs the Highbridge, putting distance between ourselves and Seymour, who was being held back by Kimahri. Yuna slowed down and I pulled her hand, saying "Yuna, come on!" She shook her head. "I won't leave Kimahri behind!" she said defiantly. "He is a guardian. Protecting you is everything," Auron told her. "Auron!" she protested. But then Tidus said "That's right; we're all guardians! Yeah, and you know what that means? Yuna, anywhere you go, I'll follow!" I smiled and released her hand, saying "Same here!" "Anywhere I go?" she asked, and we both nodded. She smiled. "Well then!" she began, and all three of us finished "Let's go!"

We ran back up the Highbridge, Tidus calling "Hey Kimahri, save some for us!" "Hey, wait for me!" Wakka called. "Me too!" Rikku added. Lulu stepped next to Auron and Deiru and smiled. "I'm going too," she announced, and ran ahead. Deiru sighed before looking over at Auron. "What do you say? They're gonna need our help," he pointed out. Auron chuckled. "I guess so," he said, and they both ran to catch up. Yuna, Tidus and I ran together, weapons drawn. A few soldiers tried to stop us, but I focused my power and cast Firaga, sending them through the air while they baked inside their own armor. A machina fired at me and hit me in the shoulder, but Yuna healed that while Tidus used Spiral Cut to clear the way.

We caught up to Kimahri just in time to see Seymour raise his hand, and a dark hole appeared in the air. Out of it shot a huge mechanical monster, one that I recognized from Lulu's lessons as Mortibody. We all moved into battle positions, and Seymour asked "Do you wish an end to your torment as well? Let death take into sweet slumber." "You talk too much, Seymour!" both Tidus and I called, running forward and slashing. Our sword made scratches in his stone-like skin, but altogether dealt little damage. He chuckled and used Multi-Fira, blasting us both with huge fireballs.

Rikku ran forward and used Mug, dealing damage to him and stealing a pair of Tetra Elementals at the same time. He grunted and cast Multi-Thundara, causing her to scream as she was blasted with a double-hit of lightning bolts. Lulu glared at him and raised her hands above her head while her moogle doll jumped onto the ground and did the same. They both lowered their arms, and a puddle of green appeared beneath Seymour. It geyser-ed up and showered him, causing him to frown angrily as he was poisoned. I looked at my teacher. "What kind of spell was that?" I asked.

She smiled. "Bio, one of my favorites," she said simply. I smiled as well; looks like Seymour certainly didn't like it. I was proven right when Mortibody cast Blizzard, hitting us all with blasts of ice crystals while Seymour hit both Deiru and Auron with Watera. "Hey Yuna, why don't you summon?" Tidus suggested. She nodded, and we cleared the way as she spread her arms and summoned Valefor. Seymour chuckled. "You think you can use your aeons against me?" he asked. Yuna nodded and called "Valefor, use Sonic Wings" The aeon nodded and pulled her wings back before waving them forward. A blast of powerful air hit him, but he merely laughed. "Death awaits you!" He called. He flung his hand out and a green-blue orb shot at Valefor, hitting her instantly. The mighty aeon fell to her knees, instantly fading. "What the-?" I yelled, and glared at Seymour when he chuckled.

"Bastard!" I yelled, running forward and using Murderous Blow. Sadly the move didn't kill him, but to my satisfaction it did wipe the smirk of his face. He cast Multi-Blizzara and hit both me and Yuna with blocks of ice. Wakka saw this and said "Take this!" before using Attack Reels. His ball, Rematch, had spikes all along the side, so when he threw it at Seymour and hit him countless times, each one left either a scratch of a series of punctures all over his body. By the time he was done Seymour looked vaguely like Swiss cheese, and I could see that the comparison didn't make him happy. He waved his hand and cast Break, a huge brown rock suddenly enveloping Wakka before it faded, showing that he had been petrified.

Auron glared ay Seymour. "Though he was not the man I once knew, Kinoc was still my friend! Seymour, you will pay for his death!" he called, before his body glowed blue and he ran slammed his katana down and used Magic Break, weakening Seymour's magic while Yuna cast Esuna on Wakka. It was a good thing Yuna did too, because at that moment Mortibody flew forward and used Shattering Claw. The move now only gave Wakka a small cut on the side, but another second too late and it would have shattered him into dozens of pieces. Seymour cast Break again, this time on Yuna.

Her body turned to stone, and Mortibody flew forward for the kill. "Yuna!" I called, jumping in front of her and taking the blow. It barely hurt, but the simple act of trying to kill Yuna had my blood boiling. While Rikku fed her a Soft, I rose into the air and yelled "You've had your chance. Now... take this! Armageddon!" Energy crackled around my blade before I shot it at Seymour, who was instantly ensnared in the same crystalline prison of light I had used on Evrae. More clouds appeared in the sky, before forming a trio of twisters that hit and continued spinning, flipping Seymour around and end over end. My sword glowed and turned into a ball of purple and silver fire, which I threw at him and created a small nuclear explosion.

The blast was almost deafening, and by the time it was over Seymour leaned to one side, his body severely burnt and Mortibody lying on the ground. Then Mortibody rose up and cast Mortibsorption, draining Seymour of health to replenish its own. The moment it did that my eyes widened, and when I looked t Deiru he nodded. He had seen the same thing. Now Deiru ran forward and slashed at the mechanical monster, Lulu following suit with Thundara. Kimahri stabbed his spear into the beast before using Jump, leaping into the air and holding Mortibody so that when he landed Kimahri slammed down right on top of him.

A web of small cracks appeared in the ground while the Mortibody, slightly squashed, flew back to Seymour and used Mortibsorption again. Seymour glared at Kimahri and cast Flare, creating a ring of fire around the Ronso before it exploded. He growled and stabbed his spear into the ground, beating at the flames that had started along his fur. Yuna cast Cura on him and I ran next to her, saying "This fight starting to go bad. What do we do?" She looked quiet for a moment, before her expression saddened and she said "I'll have to summon again. I might have just enough time to have it unleash its Overdrive before Seymour banishes it."

I frowned. "That's a good plan, but with one flaw. None of your aeons would be able to unleash that much power in a single move..." I trailed off, the penny dropping as my eyes widened. "Except for the one you just got," I finished. She nodded and smiled, and I called "Everyone, stand clear!" They did so instantly, and Yuna spread her arms. The clouds that I had created before rumbled, turning gray and dust-filled. A huge shape flew above them, staying there for a moment before it dived down. A huge circle inlaid with symbols appeared in the sky, but the aeon broke through that before crashing to the ground.

When the dust cleared I saw that the aeon was huge, easily three times the height of a normal human. It was a dragon on two legs, its body corded with muscles and covered with dark purple scales while on its back was golden ceramic circle and it had a pair of huge magnificent wings that were purple, red and gold. Seymour smirked. "I told you before, aeons are no longer of any use to me," he said condescendingly. Yuna smiled knowingly, before pointing at him and calling "Bahamut, use Mega Flare!" The aeon, Bahamut, roared before flipping over and standing on all fours, the circle on its back rising into the air and spinning.

Wind and lightning rose from the circle, and an orb of light grew inside of Bahamut's mouth before he fired, a beam of destructive power sent straight at Seymour. It grew and consumed him, miniature explosions occurring inside the beam before the entire beam detonated, delivering more damage to Seymour than I thought possible. When it faded Seymour was seen writhing in pain, before he dissolved into a cloud of smoke interlaced with pyreflies. Yuna bowed at Bahamut, who nodded before taking to the air and flying away. Once he was gone there was silence, and we all looked at each other. "What now?" Tidus asked.

"Now we run, before any more soldiers show up," Deiru said. We all agreed, and left Bevelle for Macalania Woods.

xxx

A few hours later we were all seated at our camp for the night, waiting for Auron and Deiru to make sure we hadn't been followed. They showed up, and Wakka asked "Well?" "We're all clear. We will have to avoid Bevelle in the future," Auron informed us. Deiru looked around in confusion, and asked "Where's Yuna?" "She said she wanted to be alone," Rikku said. "Of course," Auron replied, walking over to his tent and climbing in. I sighed; Yuna wasn't looking too good. I hadn't been in perfect shape when I found out about her and the Final Summoning, but back then I had been angry. But with Yuna her faith in Yevon, the very thing that she had lived her life on and was prepared to die for, had been destroyed. They had betrayed her.

I wanted to console her, but what was there that I could say? I had never had faith in something as much as Yuna did; I had no idea what she was going through. The others couldn't think of anything either, so no progress was made. That was, until Tidus sighed, and I was hit by a bolt of inspiration. He might not know hat to say, but listening to and being near Tidus always made her fell better. Maybe he could get lucky and say something that might fix this.

"Hey Tidus, could you come with me?" I asked, standing up and walking off. He made a sound of confusion, but got up and followed. When we were a good distance from the rest of the group I turned to look at him. "Okay, what's going on?" he asked. "I think you should talk to Yuna," I said simply. "What? Why?" he asked. "She needs someone to comfort her, and I know you can do that," I replied. "Comfort her? I thought it would you racing to do that. You are sisters, after all," he pointed out. I sighed, shaking my head. "You're right, normally I would try to help her. But I wouldn't even know where to start. If you haven't already figured it out, emotional situations and I don't go so well together," I said, thinking of my rampage through Home and Bevelle.

Tidus chuckled humorlessly, before turning serious. "But I don't have any idea of where to start either. I'm just as clueless as you," he said. "Just follow your instincts, don't think about it. That's gotten so this far," I said. He looked unsure, so I put his hands and his shoulders and forced him to look me in the eye. "Tidus, Yuna needs your help right now. The absolute worst thing you can do is not try," I said firmly. He hesitated for a second before becoming determined. "Okay," he said, before turning around and walking off. I waited until he was gone before following. If Tidus failed then I _would_ have to see what I could do. If he succeeded, then knowing those two and how much they didn't yet know their feelings for each other I would have to see this.

xxx

Finally, the crew has made t away from Bevelle. And you all know what romantic scene comes next, so stay tuned!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	46. Chapter 46

Author's Note: I do not own Finial Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.

Ch.46 Romance

Slowly and stealthily, I followed Tidus as he went to try and comfort Yuna. I knew how much those liked each other- we all did- even if those two didn't. And if he succeeded in making her feel better like I had told him to, then an almost perfect scene of romance was sure to follow. So I tailed him, following Tidus until he reached the lake in which Yuna was standing. I crouched behind a bush and watched them, staying perfectly still until I heard a voice behind me. "Sofia spying?" Kimahri asked. I nearly jumped out of my skin and almost shrieked, but managed to keep quiet. "Kimahri! What are you doing?!" I demanded. He frowned. "Protecting Yuna. You?" he asked.

My face turned a shade crimson, and I said "Um... Well, uh..." Then, to my utter surprise, he smiled and chuckled, raising a clawed finger to his lips and saying "Shhh." I blinked, but did so and turned back around, watching the two of them. "I always thought that this would be easier somehow. I thought that everyone would help me... with all my new friends together beside me. I've been trying so hard," Yuna said. "maybe you're trying too hard," Tidus said. "They told me... everything." "Everything?" She repeated, and he nodded. "They told Sofia too," he added. At that Yuna gasped. "Oh no... She must be so angry at me..." I said quietly.

Tidus chuckled. "She was angry, trust me. But she's had time to cool off, and even when she _was_ mad she wasn't mad at you. If anything, finding that out made it her number one goal to find you," he informed Yuna. She nodded her thanks, and said "Well, so then... you know." His amusement faded, and Tidus said "Yeah. I'm sorry." At that she turned to look at him, and he "It's just, you know... all those things I said. Like 'Let's go get Sin!' or about Zanarkand... I didn't know what was going to happen to you, Yuna. I guess... I hope it didn't make you sad. Forgive me." Yuna looked at him for a moment before smiling, shaking her head. "I wasn't sad. I was happy," she said.

There was a moment of silence, and then Tidus dove underwater. He reemerged a moment later in front of her, and he said "Yuna, just don't do it." "The pilgrimage?" she asked. "Yeah, that's right. Forget about Sin, about being a summoner. Forget all that. You know, live a normal life. Come on now, Yuna, what do you say?" he suggested. "Maybe I will," she said, and while Tidus went "Huh?" I gasped. "Wouldn't everyone be surprised?" she asked. "Yeah. Except Sofia, she'd be with you, and Rikku too. Lulu and Wakka wouldn't hold out long," he pointed out. She nodded. "I know Kimahri would say yes, too, I know. But Sir Deiru and Sir Auron..." she began.

"Me and Sofia'll make them understand, Yuna. It's the least we can do," he suggested. Behind the bush I nodded, but the she said "No, I'll tell them. They both deserve it." After that they were quiet for a while, and Yuna laid back on top of the water, floating gently. Although I hadn't seen any romance, I was happy that Tidus had made Yuna feel better. I was just about to leave when she said "What will I do if I give up my pilgrimage?" "Hey, Zanarkand! Let's go to Zanarkand!" he suggested. Yuna moved back until she was standing, and Tidus said "Not the one in Spira! The one I'm from. Yeah, we can all fly there. Everyone can go! Then we'll have a bug party at my place!" he said.

The thought sounded good to me, and it seemed like Yuna agreed when she said "And then we could see Blitzball!" "Yeah!" Tidus agreed. "Your Zanarkand Abes would play. We could watch you play, in the stadium all lit up at night! I'd cheer and cheer till I couldn't cheer anymore!" she said excitedly. "Right on!" he said. Then Yuna frowned, and she asked "Well, what about after the game?" "We'd go out and have fun!" he told her. "In the middle of the night?" she asked, incredulous. "No problem! Zanarkand never sleeps!" he promised.

"Let's go to the sea, before the sunrise. The city lights go out one by one. The stars fade... Then the horizon glows, almost like it's on fire. It's kinda rose-colored, right? First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then to the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, till everything glows!" Tidus said. "It's really...pretty. I know you'd like it," he told her. "I'd like to see it, someday," she said. "Well you can, Yuna! We can both go!" he said. I smiled, but the that faded when a teardrop hit the water. I looked at Yuna, and was startled to see her crying. Great, now what had Tidus said? "Yu...?" he began. "I can't. I just can't! I can't go!" she sobbed.

I was flabbergasted; what could Tidus say to fix this now? But it seemed like he knew, because he waded over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yuna," he said quietly. She looked up, and Tidus placed his lips over hers. My eyebrows raised and Yuna's eye widened, but she didn't resist. Rather, she closed her eyes and kissed back. It made a truly romantic image,the two of them kissing in the middle of the lake surrounded by crystals, while pyreflies flew overhead. They fell beneath the waves, and I had to use magic to see things. They were still kissing, and embraced each other lovingly.

They both held each other's hand, fingers lacing together while they separated to look at one another. They moved through the water while kissing, flashes of like making the lake look like a sea of stars. Tidus brushed a strand of Yuna's hair away, and she gently held his face. I sighed and turned away, not watching. I could almost hear them keep going, and had seen enough to know that this was going to last a while.

xxx

Later, once Tidus and Yuna were done locking lips they sat by the edge of the lake, their clothes slowly drying in the breeze. "I'll continue. I must," Yuna said, and Tidus went "Hmm." "If I give up now... I could do anything I wanted to, and yet... even if I was with you, I'd never forget," she told him. "I'll go with you," he said. She looked at him and asked "Hmm?" "I'm your guardian," he reminded her, before looking mildly concerned. "Unless I'm... fired?" he asked. Yuna looked away for a moment before giggling, turning back to him. "Stay with me until the end. Please," she requested. "Not until the end... Always," Tidus told her. She nodded. "Always then."

Kimahri tapped me and the shoulder and jerked his head back, indicating that this would be a good time to go. Reluctantly I nodded, and followed him back to camp. The others asked where I was, and I simply replied "Training." "At a time like this?" Rikku asked. I shrugged. "Life goes on, the unpracticed fall behind," I told her. The others shrugged and made no comment, and I sat down next to Yuna's an my tent. A while later she and Tidus came back, and Tidus walked over to Rikku. "Did you get her to quit?" she whispered, and he shook his head. Rikku looked down at the ground, disappointed, while Yuna looked at each of us.

"Sir Auron? Sir Deiru? Wakka? Lulu? Kimahri? Rikku? Sofia? Everyone, we leave at dawn. And... I'm sorry for putting you through all of this. And, um..." she kept going, but Deiru held up his hand. "Enough. You need your rest," Auron said quietly. We all broke off to our respective tents, and before I went in mine I called "Hey, Tidus?" "Yeah?" he asked, coming over to me. I dropped my voice to a whisper and said "I know what you and Yuna did in the lake." His jaw dropped and his eyes widened in fear, before I chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not saying anything." But then my smiled faded. "Just Remember one thing: You break her heart, I'll break your neck," I said. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise.

Still, he looked at me determinedly and said "That won't happen. I swear it." I nodded. "That's all I need to know," I said, before going inside. Yuna laid down on her sleeping bag next to mine, and after a while we began to drift off to sleep. That was, until Yuna asked "Sofia?" "Hm?" I replied. "You know what happens... at the end of my pilgrimage, don't you?" she asked. Sighing, I nodded my head. "I'm sorry. I should have told you before-" she began, but I stopped her. "Don't worry, I'm not mad anymore. And I can see why that would be hard for you, any of you, to say," I told her, moving closer and wrapping my arms around her.

She did the same, and I said in her ear "If you want to keep going, that's your choice and I'll support you on it. Just make sure that this is what you want." She pulled back and looked at me sadly. "It's not what I want, but it's what I have to do," she said. I nodded; duty was something I understood well. "Alright, then tomorrow we'll keep going. And I'll stand by you all the way," I vowed. She smiled and thanked me, moving back to her own sleeping bag. I tucked myself into mine and fell asleep, oddly content for the first time in a long while.

The next morning we awoke at dawn, as planned, and left Macalania Forest. Beyond was a huge expanse of rolling plans, covered in grass and having almost few people, save for an Al Bhed shop farther in. "The Calms Lands. Long ago, the high summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here. Beyond, there are no towns, no villages. Only endless plains," Lulu informed us. "Many summoners stray from their path and lose their way here," Auron added. Yuna looked up at the sky, before sighing and falling back, arms spread. "I've always known where to go," she said.

Tidus walked up to her and said "I... I won't let you die. I'll find a way, somehow." He held out his hand and she grasped it, pulling herself up. "Let's go," she said. We walked down the path from the cliff we stood on, the sheer size of the plains coming to greater realization the closer we got. At the bottom, a trio of fiends awaited us. There was an Anacondaur, a Coeurl, and an Ogre. I sighed and drew Selini; these fiends were so weak compared to us by now, why did we even bother. Then the Ogre ran forward and took a swing at me, forcing me to jump back while it punched the ground hard enough to create a crater. Oh yeah, that's why.

"Hold on you guys, I got this!" Wakka called, running forward and using his latest Overdrive, Status Reels. From what I knew that meant he would hit all of them with one status ailment at random. He spun around and I wondered which one it would be, until he called "Take that!" and threw his ball. It hit all three of them and they turned to stone, instantly shattering. I smiled. "Petrification. Nice," I complimented. He smiled and nodded his thanks, and we kept going across the Calm Lands.

xxx

Aww, how cute was that scene? But soon to come is some less romantic parts, such as the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	47. Chapter 47

Author's Note: I do not own Finial Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.

Ch.47 Branded

The various monsters we fought on the Calm Lands were slightly strong, but after fighting Guado, sacred wyrms, undead maesters and even the same maester given a huge power boost, these monsters were almost boringly easy. That being said, we made halfway across the plains and to the Al Bhed shop in less than an hour. We decided to take a break, but now long after we did a monk began walking towards us, and Lulu gasped. "Father Zuke!" she called and I saw Wakka turn his head and his eye widen. My curiosity piqued, and I looked over from where I stood next to Yuna.

"Long time, no see," he said, before looking at my sister. "You are Yuna? Hmm… You certainly don't like Maester Kinoc's murderer," he commented. My head snapped to him, about to yell when Wakka did it for me, asking "What'd you say?" Yuna stopped him, saying "Please, tell us what happened." "Maester Mika issued a personal order, you know. It said that you and your guardians murdered the maester and fled. We are to kill you on sight, or so it says," he explained. I moved in front of Yuna and my hand crept towards my sword, but when he caught the gesture he actually chuckled.

"Don't worry; I have no intention of trying that now. A simple monk like me wouldn't stand a chance against eight guardians," Father Zuke said. I nodded and moved back, while Auron asked "What of Bevelle?" "Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso left Yevon," he informed us. Deiru made a short chuckle. "Rather convenient. Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray." "But be careful, my friends. You have been branded enemies of Yevon. You should avoid temples for the time being," Zuke warned us. "Thank you, Father Zuke, for your warning," Yuna said, and I nodded.

Lulu stepped forward. "Father, you came all the way here to tell us this?" she asked. "To tell the truth, I was a little curious to see this summoner you're guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well. For your sake too," he said kindly. "Thank you, Father," Lulu said. "I must be off. I shall pray for all of you," he announced, performing the prayer gesture before walking off. "Who was that?" Tidus asked. She looked at him. "Until half a year ago, he was a summoner. Wakka and I were his guardians," she explained. "It was kind of a short pilgrimage," Wakka added.

"He gave up halfway. Here, on this plain. Now, he is a monk at the Bevelle temple," Lulu said. "This is my third pilgrimage as a guardian. Father Zuke was my second. And my first, well... It ended here, too. I've never been to the lands beyond. Mt. Gagazet towers to the north, and Zanarkand lies beyond that." My eyes widened; that meant it wasn't far until Yuna had to call the Final Aeon! I looked over at Tidus and Yuna, seeing their expressions similarly horrified. I jerked my thumb to the area behind the shop, and they followed as I walked in that direction.

Once we were behind Rikku asked "She's not stopping, is she?" "Yuna, she's made her decision," Tidus said, his usual cheer gone. "But, I can't just let her go!" she protested. I looked away; all the others had seen just how much being apart from Yuna hurt me. Even I had no idea how I would respond to her actually dying. But the pretty accurate guess would be: not well. "We won't have to. We'll save Yuna even if she calls the Final Aeon," Tidus said confidently. I looked at him, an eyebrow raised in suspicion. "Tidus, what are you thinking about?" I asked cautiously. "Yeah, how are you going to do that?" Rikku asked.

"I'll think of a way," he said. "But what if you can't?" she pressed. Tidus huffed. "I'm done talking to you. It's always 'but' this, 'but' that," he said, irritated. "But…" Rikku began, proving his point. "Let's think together!" he suggested. She smiled and said "Okay!" while I shrugged. "Better than waiting for a miracle to happen," I said. "And if we can' think of something… We'll find another way!" he told us. When I thought about it that statement made little sense, but I nodded anyway. We moved back to the rest of the group, and I caught the tail end of Deiru saying to Auron "With Yevon in complete disorder." Auron nodded and walked off while the others noticed that we were back.

"What were you guys talking about?" Wakka asked. "Nothing special. Just airing our thoughts," I said cryptically. He looked confused, but when I didn't give any more answers he grunted unhappily and walked away. I thought about that last bit, and concluded that Deiru was right. The lower levels of Yevon didn't know the truth about the maesters, but even so the loss of two of their leaders would cause ripples throughout the clergy. And that's not including the fact that the daughter of the High Summoner has been branded a traitor. Even without that declaration it would be a good idea to stay away from Yevon; the sight of us might cause some die-hard priest to do something incredibly stupid.

"Let's go," Yuna said, and I snapped out of my thoughts to nod. We progressed through the plains while fighting any fiends or machina that we came across, and eventually reached a double-set of wooden bridges, underneath one of which was a long downhill road leading into a valley. There were no fiends in sight, and we were just about to when we heard a voice call "Halt!" We looked ahead to see, to all our displeasure, a pair of Guado walk forward. The one on the left with purple hair said "Summons from Lord Seymour! Come with us!" Yuna stepped forward, her face determined. "We have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour," she said.

"Yeah, so out of our way!" Tidus called. "Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come!" the one with green hair ordered. "I warn you, the maester doesn't need you alive," the other warned us. I was just about to ask what he meant by that when the ground suddenly shook, like something huge and heavy was walking across it. From below a huge rock-covered robot ran up the slope, huge arms swinging to and fro. The Guado walked off while the machine stood in front of us. We all spread out and drew our weapons, different battle strategies already forming in each of our heads.

Simple observation was a key element to survival, Lulu told me. And now I could see that she was right. The machine in front of us was easily ten feet tall, and those arm nearly the same length. Its rock-like exterior couple with that meant that it was built for power, and would use only physical strength. It would be hard to damage and hard to defeat, but if we managed to dodge enough hits and keep at it with magic, what looked its weakness, and then we had a chance of beating this. Kimahri cast Scan and called out "Fiend is called the Defender X! Blind it and use magic!" Wakka nodded and pulled his arm back, calling "Take that!" and throwing his ball.

It hit the mech straight in the face and blinded it, causing the beast to make a groan of surprise. Then it pointed its fist at Wakka and fired it like a missile. The shot hit him full in the chest and sent Wakka flying, through the air until he fell onto the edge of the bridge behind us. "Wakka!" Lulu called, watching him slide off the edge. He grabbed the side of it though, and gave a thumbs-up before trying to pull himself up. Lulu turned to glare at the monster, and she raised both her arms over her head while the cactuar doll she held jumped down. It spun around at the same time she lowered her arms, and she called "Firaga Fury!" A series of fireballs gathered around the Defender before exploding, each blast creating a sphere of burning flames.

Seven in total occurred, and by the time Lulu finished the stone on its body was glowing slightly red, before I cooled it down with Waterga. The stone developed a small crack from the expansion and contraction, and I gasped at the sight of it. Lulu looked and over smiled at me; she had seen the same thing. "Everyone, keep that fiend distracted and away from me and Sofia!" Lulu called. "What? You guys got a plan?" Tidus asked, trying and failing to cast Slow. "Maybe. Just keep it distracted!" I urged him. Rikku nodded and pulled out a grenade, pulling the pin out with her teeth before she threw hit.

The blast hardly had any effect, but when it tried to respond it was still blinded and missed. "You will know pain! Armor Break!" Deiru called, his body glowing orange while Auron's was red. The both ran forward and slammed their blades against its body, cutting through the rock like custard. The Defender shook its body and tried to rip them off, but while the action pulled their swords out of their hands that left those very same blades imbedded in its chest. Deiru smiled before running back forward, channeling a Thundaga spell into his hands before he gripped both of them and channeled the live voltage through. The beast shuddered and lost is darkness status, pulling its arm back before punching Deiru in the side.

The massive fist hit him straight in the ribcage and Deiru held on to the swords, dragging them out of the Defender's chest before being sent flying. The moment the punch landed there was sickening series of crunches, and when he fell to the ground I saw him placing his hand against his chest and wincing. Ribs broken, maybe even that whole side judging from the size of that fist. "Yuna, help him!" I called, before running forward. She nodded and hurried to Deiru, while I ran up beside Lulu. "Are you ready?" she asked, and I nodded.

What we were about to do would have once been impossible to me, but Lulu had trained me in the arts of magic. I was stronger now. Clasping my hands together, fingers interlaced, I closed my eye and concentrated, willing all my strength and power to rise forth. Lulu did the same beside me and I could fell our powers mixing together, both our strength creating a storm of magical energy that was already almost too strong to contain. More and more strength was dragged up from my being; I was literally placing everything I had in this spell. Lulu did the same, and we both opened our eye before looking up into skies and calling "Meteor!"

The clouds darkened and thunder rumbled, prompting the Defender to look up. Suddenly the clouds parted, revealing a series of asteroids falling straight down to the earth. All aimed at the machine. It creaked and looked at me and Lulu, realizing that we were the cause of it. It charged forward to try and get to us, but Tidus jumped in front of it and used Spiral Cut. The Overdrive dealt little damage, and Tidus was hit with a blow to the stomach by the back of the Defender's hand, pushing him away. Wakka tried to blind it with Dark Buster, but this time it held it hands over its face and deflected it.

The mech reached us and used Haymaker, swinging both its arm and slamming them into my chest and head. Every bone in my ribcage broke, and my head was snapped back so hard that for a second I thought my neck would break. I was tossed through the air like a rag doll, oddly enough landing right next to Deiru, who had just been healed. Without my help the Meteor spell faltered, a few disappearing. Three fell down and hit the Defender on the head, exploding on impact hard enough to push its feet into the ground. The mech whirred and cast Might Guard, bestowing itself with Protect, Shell, and immunity to all elements. Kimahri used Lancet to copy that power and used it on us, offering the same protection.

Yuna stopped healing my for a second to swing her rod at the Defender, calling "Dispel!" A wall of crystalline light appeared around it before shattering, taking with it the mech's Might Guard. I slowly stood, trying to get back to my feet while drinking an X-Potion, healing my ribs and the blow to my head. Raising my arm to the sky I was prepared to cast Meteor again before Yuna stopped me, saying "Hold on. I can do something better; let me draw your strength. I trusted her, nodding instantly and moving behind Yuna to place my hands on her shoulders.

She spread her arm to her sides and I pushed hard into her shoulders, pouring the last remnants of my strength into her. The Defender saw this and ran forward, but before it could hit us Yuna called "Holy!" and pointed her rod at it. A dozen white orbs of light appeared around the beast, before those orbs turned into lances and shot at it. I watched, awed as the light pierced through the stone like paper and exited out the other side, turning the Defender X into Swiss cheese. It shuddered for a moment before falling to the ground, and I sighed in relief. "Nice one, Yunie! What kind of spell was that?" Rikku asked, running towards us.

Slightly exhausted, she said breathlessly "The spell Holy, the only spell of White Magic which can harm your adversary. But it doesn't come without its price." As if to prove her point she lurched forward, only my instant reflexes preventing her from being caught. "You'd better get some rest before we go to the mountains. Maybe we should head back to the plains?" I suggested, looking at the others. More hesitantly the usual, meaning hesitantly at all, Lulu said "There is an abandoned shop… at the bottom of the valley." "Alright, than let's go!" Tidus said, already walking down the slope.

Unsure, I looked at Lulu and silently asked why she was hesitating. She just shook her head, and I shrugged before lifting Yuna into my arms like I did back at Djose. She yelped in surprise, but this time rather than protest she wrapper her arm around my neck and held on tightly. I smiled, and saw that she was too. But if I knew Lulu, than whatever was down in that valley was going to wipe any and all grins from our faces.

xxx

Man, when I fought the Defender X in the game he was bitch and a half to beat. But at least Sofia and the others made it, and soon the battle against Yojimbo!

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


	48. Chapter 48

Author's Note: I do not own KH:BBS or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.

Ch.48 Cavern of the Stolen Fayth

Just as Lulu said, there was an abandoned shop at the bottom of the valley. The strange part was the cave next to it that exuded a purple mist. "What it that?" I asked. "A cave, wherein lies a fayth. We could try to get it now, but I believe we're a little too tried for that," Deiru said. I looked at him, and then at the cave. A fayth? In that place? Shrugging my shoulders I entered the shop, finding a room for me in Yuna in almost perfect condition. Once I laid Yuna down she said "Thank you, Sofia. Good night." Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, I said "Good night, sister." She smiled, eyes closing and falling off to sleep, while in my bed I did the same.

The next morning we were all assembled outside, and Tidus asked "Hey Lulu, didn't you say that this cave had a fayth inside?" She nodded, and added "As are the fiends." Wakka gasped and looked at her. "Hey. This where...?" he asked, trailing off when she nodded. "Where what?" I asked. "The summoner I guarded on my first pilgrimage... died here," she announced. I gasped, and we were all silent for a few minutes. Then Lulu said "Yuna, let's go. The fayth awaits." Yuna nodded and walked forward, the rest of us following. Inside the purple mist seemed to come the rocks of the cave itself, which were a greenish-blue in color.

Various pyreflies flew about the area, and I could sense that the spirits of these people were trapped here, silent guardians of the cavern that allowed none but a summoner and her guardians inside. We had just made it a short distance through when suddenly a large urn, dotted with eyes, formed in front of us out of the pyreflies. "What the heck is this?" Tidus asked, and Lulu replied "A Magic Urn. Hitting the right eye can generate prizes, but the wrong one will cause it to explode." I looked at her and then at it, before deciding to hit the eye in the center. "Well, here we go!" I called, running forward and slashing at the eye. To my delight I heard an excited bleep, and a Phoenix Down shot out of the top.

Smiling, I caught it and ran back, saying "Who wants to go next?" "Oh oh oh, me! Pick me!" Rikku said. Laughing at her excitement I nodded, and she used her gloved hand to punch the eye of the upper left. Again there was a bleep, and out popped a Silver Hourglass. "Yay!" she said, and Wakka pulled back his ball. "Here goes nothing!" he called, before hitting the lower right one. Another bleep, and this time a Frag Grenade. We continued like this three more times, and we gained a Stamina Tablet, Elixir, and a Lunar Curtain. "Hey Lulu, what do we get the last time?" Tidus asked, and she replied "A Soul Spring." He smiled and said "Don't worry, I've got this!" before running at the Urn.

"Tidus, wait! You won't get lucky twice!" I called, but it was too late. He stabbed Brotherhood into the top eye in the center. The was an angry buzz, and out of the top shot not a Soul Spring, but a bomb. My eyes widened and I called "Duck for cover!" We all hit the dirt, and the bomb exploded. Despite being flat against the ground the blast picked us up and sent us flying, until we hit the wall of the cavern and fell down. The smoke faded quickly to show that the Urn had been destroyed, while Tidus had been especially burned. Standing up and wincing, I put my hands on my hips and said "Somehow 'I told you so' just doesn't quite say it. But I damn did tell you, didn't I?!"

"Alright, you were right," he said, while taking that Elixir and applying it to his wounds. Rikku mixed together Hi-Potion and Al Bhed Potion to make an Ultra Potion, which we all drank from to heal ourselves fully. "Thanks Rikku; you're a lifesaver," Deiru said, She giggled and said "Oh, it was nothing! What's a fayth doing in a place like this anyway?" "They say that is was stolen from a temple long ago," Lulu told her. "Stolen? Why?" I asked, confused. "Without the fayth, summoners cannot train. Without training, they cannot call the Final Aeon. Without the Final Aeon, they cannot defeat Sin. That is why," Auron explained. "Cause then the summoner won't die!" Rikku said. "That must have been what the thief was thinking!" Wakka added.

I mulled that over in my head, hearing Tidus mutter "I kind of agree with him." Rikku heard him and nodded, and we kept going. Various other fiends came after us, including a Black Element which was highly resistant to both physical and magical attacks. Luckily Lulu had recently mastered the spell Death, and used that to full effect. With her power we kept going, until we reached a wide open area. That was when we felt a disturbance in the air, and Wakka said "Peh! Another Guado fiend?" "No, an unsent," Kimahri told him.

The solidified into the image of a woman, and Lulu stepped forward. "It's... is you, is not, Lady Ginnem? Forgive me. I was too young," she said, real sadness filling her tone and expression. I was shocked to see Lulu so upset, and stepped forward next to Yuna to begin the sending. Suddenly Lady Ginnem waved her wand and there was a flash of red light, and I could feel the power of our sending being shattered. "There is no human left in you, is there?" Lulu asked. Lady Ginnem lowered her arm, as if to say "No." "Very well then. Allow me to perform this last duty to you. My last as your guardian," she said.

The moment she said that orbs of energy swirled around Ginnem, indicating that she was summoning;. The summoning sequence however was unlike anything that I had seen yet. Our vision distorted and the scene in front of us disappeared, showing a cherry tree in bloom with blue flowers. From behind it a huge hulking figure slowly walked forward, wearing a purple-red cape and the armor of a samurai. A red and gold dog appeared next to him, and when our vision returned to normal the same aeon was standing in front of us. "What the heck?" Tidus asked, and Lulu called "The aeon Yojimbo! Be careful!" We all drew our weapons, and Yojimbo nodded at his dog for it to run forward.

It growled and bolted after Yuna, sharpened teeth showing. It jumped and bit into hid arm, shaking violently. Auron grimaced in pain and drew back his other arm, curling his hand into a fist before punching the dog in the side. It whimpered and slackened its grip, giving Auron the chance to pull it off and toss the god back. Deiru jumped into the air and called "Draco Lightning!" before pointing his sword at the aeon. Red and blue lighting shot out and blasted it in a dazzling display of power, but when it faded the aeon merely brushed a piece off of its shoulder. Then from its pocket it withdrew a trio of knives, showing them before he flung the knives at Wakka.

He shouted and tried to dodge, but two of the knifes pierced his arm and he winced in pain, grunting as he pulled them out. I ran forward and tried to swing at him when he suddenly drew a sword of his own, blocking mine and pushing back with inhumane strength. I dug my feet into the ground and tried to stay put, but even then I could feel myself being pushed back. "Sofia, move!" Tidus called, and I did just that. He ran towards Yojimbo and used Slice and Dice, slashing at the aeon before sliding out of the way and running back. If there was one thing Tidus had it was speed, and he put that to good use now. He hit Yojimbo a total of seven times before he ran back to us, his armor slashed across his arms, chest and back.

Yojimbo seemed to glare at Tidus and pulled his own sword back out, slashing it through the air and sending a wave of energy at him. He blocked the blow with Brotherhood and took a step back, while Lulu cast Drain Fury. Nine streams of light burst from Yojimbo and glowed when they hit Lulu, absorbing the aeon's strength to replenish her own. The dog, Daigoro, ran forward and tried to bite her but she cast Watera and Thundara, zapping the dog hard enough to make it whimper and run back. Yojimbo drew another set of knifes and threw them at Auron, who ran forward and slammed his katana down to both hit the aeon and deflect them.

Yojimbo faltered from the force of the blow and swung his wakizashi, sending another wave of energy outwards. Auron blocked it but didn't counter, seeing as how Rikku threw her Frag Grenade. Once it hit the ground Daigoro picked it up with his teeth and was about to toss it back when it exploded, sending the canine beast flying through the air until he hit the ceiling and fell back down. Yojimbo threw yet another trio of knives, and this time they were aimed at me. I shouted and rolled out of the way, but he threw more and all three of them pierced me in the side. I shouted in pain and fell to my knees, yanking them out, and covering the holes they left. "Sofia!" Yuna called, running over to heal me but was sent into the wall by a tackle from Daigoro.

The sight of this aeon hurting my sister caused the usual aggression, allowing me to stand and cast Thundaga at Yojimbo. The powerful spell barely fazed him,and suddenly he used an attack I had never seen before. A hole on the ground opened and a huge katana rose out, which he grabbed and removed the sheath from. Behind him the unsent form of Lady Ginnem smiled, and I realized that we weren't going to survive this attack. Yojimbo shot forward and unleashed Zanmato, and I closed my eyes as everything went white. I expected to feel the sword cutting into me, a wave of pure power, something. Instead I felt nothing, and we all opened our eyes to see Lulu standing front of Yojimbo, arms held up in a X that was holding back the attack.

"Lu!" Wakka called, and she grit her teeth. "I will not... let my summoner... die... in this place... again!" she called, shoving and sending Yojimbo a few paces back, off balance. She rose her arms into the and brought forth all her power, lowering her arms and calling "Ultima!" A huge sphere surrounded Yojimbo and his dog, pure power gathering in the center before exploding. The single blast sent off chain of other ones, the aeon tossed around in around by the furious power of Lulu's spell. When it faded Yojimbo staggered about, and Lulu pointed her finger at it and whispered "Death."

Ignoring the aeon's immunity to it a masked figure appeared, thrusting a clawed hand into the aeon's chest and pulling its heart, which it promptly crushed in its hand. Yojimbo reared back before falling to one knee, the body of both him and his dog turning transparent and dissolving into pyreflies. Lady Ginnem glared at us, but when before Yuna stood and performed the sending she didn't resist. Lulu sighed. "Strange. I thought it would be sadder somehow. Maybe I've just gotten used to farewells," she said. "You're stronger now," Wakka said. She was silent for a moment before saying "Wakka. I hope you're right. Yuna, the fayth is inside. Go do what you came here to do."

Yuna stepped onto the pad, and was teleported into the Chamber of the Fayth. A while later she came back, nodding, and we left the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth for Mount Gagazet.

xxx

They fayth has entrusted Yuna with a new aeon! Will she be able to put Yojimbo's fearsome power to good use? And we all know what happens to Kimahri on the mountain. Can he defeat his life-long rivals?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding... or am I?)


	49. Chapter 49

Author's Note: I do not own Finial Fantasy X or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong to their respective owners.

Ch.49 Strength

We finally arrived on Mt. Gagazet, which turned out to exactly the snow-topped mountain I thought it would be. "Yeesh! Is this place cold or what?" Tidus complained, rubbing his arms. "No kidding!" Rikku agreed, doing the same. Disregarding their opinions, I stepped forward and sighed, tilting my eye back, closing my eyes and spreading my arm like I had done on the Thunder Plains. "I don't see what you're complaining about. I lived in the snow as a child; I love it even more than the rain! Let it snow, let it snow," I said, singing that last part. "I don't see how anyone could live in this!" Tidus said. "Ronso live here in the mountain. Elder Kelk may be with them," Kimahri reminded him.

"Do you think he'll let us pass now that we are traitors?" Lulu asked. At that I lowered my arms and opened my eyes, turning to look at her. "I certainly hope they don't. We've made enough enemies, staining this snow red with the blood of Ronso will hardly win us any favors with them," I said, but if things came down to it I know I would do it. The idea of fighting should have bothered me, yet to my own curiosity it didn't as much as it should. Traitors didn't survive by being pacifists. Deiru grunted. "Let's hope we can get past without fighting, shall we?" he asked. I nodded; that sounded just as good to me, if not better. Save us all the trouble. We kept going, Tidus and Rikku muttering about the cold the entire time while I basked in it.

Eventually we reached a small passage with cliffs on either side, and ahead was a large stone gateway. So far we had seen none of the Ronso, but when we neared the gate one suddenly jumped down in front of us. It was one of the Ronso the picked on Kimahri, Biran. Behind him Kelk Ronso walked forward, with Yenke behind him. "Summoner Yuna and guardians leave here at once!" he demanded. As if on command dozens of other Ronso, male and female, appeared above us and the cliffs and behind, barring any escape. I sighed and was about to draw my sword when Auron stopped me, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. "Gagazet is Ronso land, sacred mountain of Yevon. The mountain will not bear the footsteps of infidels!" Kelk continued.

"Enemy of Yevon is enemy of Ronso! Leave, traitors!" Biran called. "I have cast aside Yevon! I follow the temple no more!" Yuna declared. "Then you will die by those words!" Kelk threatened. "So be it. Yevon has warped the teachings and betrayed us all!" she replied. "Nothing but a bunch of low down tricksters, eh?" Wakka added. "Yeah! Yeah!" both Tidus and Rikku said, pumping their arms. "We have no regrets," Yuna said. "Blasphemers!" Yenke yelled, and Biran ran forward. Kimahri rushed ahead and stood in front of him, both staring at each despite their apparent difference in height. "A summoner and her guardians…" Kelk muttered. "Lord Kelk Ronso, if I may. Have you not also turned your back on Bevelle?" Lulu asked.

"But still, you guard Gagazet as a Ronso, not a maester. Yuna is much the same," Auron said. "Elder Kelk! Let Biran rent them asunder!" Biran requested. Yenke ran up next to him and said "No escape! Not one!" "No, we will not flee. We will fight, and continue on," Yuna said. I smiled and said "I'm with my sister on that!" and grasped my sword, ready to unsheathe if needed. "You have been branded a traitor, but still you would fight Sin?" Kelk asked, incredulous. "Lost to the temple, hated by the people, yet you continue your pilgrimage? Everything lost! Tell me, what do you fight for?" he asked her. I looked at Yuna, wondering the same thing. She was silent for a moment, before speaking.

"I fight for Spira. The people long for the Calm. I can give it to them. It's all I can give. Defeating Sin, ending pain… This I can do," she told him. Kelk shook his head. "Even sacrificing yourself?" he asked. Without awaiting an answer he turned around and walked away. Eventually he stopped though, and he called "Ronso, let them pass! Summoner Yuna, your will is stronger than steel. Tempered steel that even the mightiest Ronso could not hope to bend. Yuna, we bow to your will." He turned back towards us and raised his arms. "Now go! The sacred heights of Gagazet welcome you," he declared.

I smiled and sighed with relief, while Yuna bowed and said "We thank you." We all broke off to take care of some last minute things before departing, and I talked to Lulu. "That was impressive. I knew Yuna was strong, but not that much," I said. Lulu nodded. "You have to be strong if you want to keep going on this journey. Yuna is one of the strongest people I have ever seen. Even more so than me," she said. I blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?" I asked. She smiled. "If the roles were switched and she was my guardian, it would only be with her support that I would even think of going. But above all us, Yuna has faith in her own beliefs, not including Yevon. And her beliefs are even stronger than mine," she admitted.

I was surprised; it was rare to see Lulu speaking so humbly. We all got our things together, items fully stocked, and walked past the gateway. We had just made it when we heard Biran call "Halt!" We saw him and Yenke walk forward, and stood in front of us to block our path. "Haven't you bothered us enough?" Tidus asked. "Summoner may pass. Guardians may pass. Kimahri not pass! Kimahri shame Ronso brothers. Kimahri forget his birth," Biran said. "Forget his people, forget his mountain. Little Ronso! Weakling Ronso!" Yenke taunted. "Mountain hate the weak, hate the small. If you climb…" Biran began. Kimahri waked forward. "Then I must prove my strength!" he finished.

"Think you will win? You not forget who took your horn. Never forget!" Brian reminded him. "Kimahri never defeat brother Biran! Never win!" Yenke said. I bared my teeth and was about to rush forward, Tidus beside me, when Kimahri held up his arm to block us. "This some kind of Ronso thing?" he asked. "Kimahri problem," Kimahri replied. I grunted, before smiling. "Then do me one thing: kick their asses into the snow," I said. He didn't say anything, but smiled while walking forward. He drew his spear and the two of them were still for a moment, before Biran used Bulldoze and ran forward, smashing into Kimahri and stopping once he was behind.

"Biran rent you sunder!" he said, and Yenke added "Hornless! Hornless!" Kimahri growled and looked at Yenke, stretching out a clawed hand and, to my surprise, cast Fire. A ball of flame shot from his hand and hit Yenke in the chest. He shouted in surprise and I looked at Kimahri. "How the heck can you cast magic?" I asked. Rather than him answering I heard Lulu chuckled beside me, and I turned to her as the penny dropped. "You taught Kimahri how to cast magic too?" I asked. She shrugged and smiled. "The most basic elemental spells. He wanted to learn them after the events at Bevelle," she explained. Yenke ran forward and used Bulldoze as well, ramming into Kimahri and stopping beside Biran.

Kimahri ran forward and tried to swing his spear at Biran, but Yenke ran in front of him and blocked the blow. "Not good enough, Kimahri!" Biran said, and he cast Thunder. A bolt of electricity shot down and hit him, but when it did the shockwave was absorbed by his armlet. "What?!" Biran yelled, and Kimahri chuckled, holding up his armlet. "Treasure from Kilika Temple. Repels magic," he said smugly, before casting Thunder in turn and hitting Biran with it. He grunted as the bolt electrocuted him and singed his fur, while Yenke tried to use Aqua Breath and failed.

"Hey Sofia, I just thought of something," Tidus whispered. Not wanting to take my eyes off the fight, I leaned back and asked "What?" "You know how Ronso can use Lancet to learn other fiends' abilities?" he asked, and I nodded. "And you know how Ronso are also supposed to be able to fight like fiends?" he continued, and I nodded again. "Then, shouldn't Ronso be able to use Lancet on other Ronso and learn the abilities the others have already copied?" he wondered aloud. I stiffened realizing that he was right. "Hey Kimahri! Use Lancet!" I called. He looked at me but nodded, using that very ability on Yenke. I couldn't tell if it worked, but he abruptly smiled and used Aqua Breath.

"Aargh!" Yenke yelled, hit by his own attack along with Biran. "Pitiful goatling!" Biran roared, and cast Blizzard. This spell failed as well, and Kimahri responded again by successfully casting the spell himself. Yenke cast White Wind on himself, healing all his injuries, and Biran used Bulldoze so that he was behind Kimahri. Kimahri used Lancet, this time on Biran. The moment he did Kimahri called "Doom!" and pointed at him. The same figure that appears whenever Lulu casted Death appeared then, and laughed sinisterly before waving its hand and a glyph appeared in the air.

The figure faded and an ornate number twenty appeared in the air. "What the heck? What does that do?" Tidus asked. "Doom, a most frightening spell. When that counter reaches zero, it will cast Death without a chance of failure," Lulu told him. Biran sneered. "I will defeat Kimahri before that happens!" he called, casting Mighty Guard on himself. Instantly he was bestowed with Protect, Shell, and one-time immunity to all of Kimahri's spells. He grunted before turning to Yenke, using Lancet and unleashing Fire Breath. A massive ball of fire shot out and hit Yenke straight in the chest, so hard that he was sent back a few steps. "You shall pay for that!" he called, and used Bulldoze.

The constant tackles were starting to get to Kimahri, and he used Lancet to copy Yenke's White Wind. Biran ran forward and tried to land a massive kick to the gut, but he dodged and cast Blizzard, freezing Biran's fur together until it hung on him like a block of ice. Instantly his movement was hindered, and Yenke had to use Fire Breath to free his ally. He was about to hit Kimahri when he copied Yenke's Mighty Guard, nullifying the fire attack. Then Kimahri cast Aqua Breath one more time before casting Thunder and Blizzard. The water from the first move acted as a conductor for the second, making Yenke jerk and spasm uncontrollably before he was frozen solid by the Blizzard spell.

The ice shattered automatically, but the deed was done and Yenke fell to the ground. Biran roared in rage and cast Berserk on himself, using Bulldoze over and over and tackling into Kimahri. I watched worriedly as Kimahri just stood there, taking it all without even trying to block. "Why not defend, Kimahri?! Fight!" Biran yelled. But he just smiled, and pointed. "Because of that," he said. He and us all looked up, and saw the Doom counter hit zero. The figure appeared and plunged his hand into Biran's chest, pulling out his heart and crushing it. Biran fell to one knee, gasping, and said "You win… Kimahri Ronso."

He smiled and walked back to us, and while Yenke was able to stand back up he clutched his side. "Yeah!" Tidus cheered, and Rikku called "Way to go, Kimahri!" I looked at him and smiled, saying "Thanks for doing me that favor." "Not problem. Kimahri enjoyed it," he said, before turning back to Biran and Yenke. "Strong is Kimahri. Biran is happy," Biran said. With great force of effort he hauled himself to one knee, before turning and walking towards the mountain peak. "Sacred Mount Gagazet!" he said loudly. "I honor the name of strong warrior who defeats Biran. Remember always, Gagazet! That name is Kimahri!" "Mountain knows Kimahri strong. Kimahri may pass," Yenke said.

"Summoner!" Biran called "We Ronso will stop pursuers from temple." I gasped, and Yuna asked "Truly?" "Penance for breaking Kimahri's horn, long ago," he replied. "We crush enemies following behind. Kimahri crush enemies standing before," Yenke said. "You are most fortunate summoner," Biran told her. "I thank you," she said, and I nodded in agreement. "Ronso will shine your statue brightest," Yenke declared. "Thank you. But I fear that no one will make a statue for a traitor such as I am," Yuna pointed out. "Then Ronso will make!" Biran promised, and Yenke added "With grand horn on head!"

Yuna smiled. "That… would be wonderful," she said. We went on ahead, and when I looked at Tidus I could see that he and I were thinking the same thing. Both of us wanted to see Yuna's statue too. But we wanted to see it… with Yuna by our side.

xxx

Boo-yah! Kimahri defeats his life-long rivals, and the gateway to Mount Gagazet is opened! But along the way they face Seymour once again, and can they survive this encounter?

Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)


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